Lost in My Mind
by Manwathiel
Summary: A dark shadow has fallen over Mirkwood, sending the elves into a deathlike slumber, including the king. The remaining royal family must make their way far to the south to a land they've never seen. Will they succeed or will Mirkwood crumble? LOC REVAMPING
1. Priceless Treasure

**Alright, I am revamping this story because- let's face it- the beginning is horrible. It Is still going to have the same plot, characters, and all that, but it really needs to be redone. So, let's try this again, shall we? **

**Oh, and I am also going to give Nórui the honor of spelling his name properly this time. He will now have the accent over the 'o' so it actually means something. So, it is Nórui. **

**XX**

Chapter 1-Priceless Treasure

They were up to something.

That thought ran rampant through the king's mind as he gazed at his two sons across the dining table, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he brought a warm, golden roll to his mouth. He chewed slowly and thoughtfully, contemplating all of the possibilities that the two young princes may come up with.

All through dinner, the two princes of Mirkwood had been sending each other secretive glances, followed by large grins that they attempted to hide behind their glasses of wine. Oh yes, they were up to something, Thranduil mused as he swirled the purple liquid in his goblet. And by the way they would occasionally glance at his two daughters, he feared that they were somehow involved.

"Ada," One of the ellyth said, "What is the matter? You seem tense." He gave her a reassuring smile with a shake of his head.

"Nothing, Melyanna." He replied, "Just thinking." The elleth nodded though she did not truly believe him. With a soft sigh, she brushed back her mahogany hair and raised her glass to her lips. Thranduil turned his attention back to his sons.

They were now watching him with hesitant eyes and he smirked back at them. Quickly, they looked back down to their plates and continued with their meal. The smirk on the king's lips grew into a grin. Yes, my sons, writher under my scrutinizing gaze, he thought happily to himself. Again, he was broken from his musing by his other daughter.

"Are you sure you are alright?" She questioned, "You have an odd look in your eye."

"Truly, Lothron. Everything is fine." The king reassured her, then motioned to her plate, "Now eat."

The meal continued on in silence though Thranduil was not oblivious to the words that still passed between his two sons. He could not make out what they were saying and, despite himself, he felt his curiosity grow. His sons were capable of many things, and not all of them were necessarily good.

"Ada," The mahogany haired prince said suddenly, raising to his feet. He yawned loudly before smiling, "I am unusually tired this night. May I please be excused so that I may retire to my chambers?"

"What is more unusual is the formal way of simply asking to be excused. One would think you were up to something." The king smiled in triumph at the withering look that appeared on the prince's face, "But of course, Nórui. You may go." Nórui shot his father a grateful smile before bowing his head and disappearing into the corridor.

Legolas watched his brother leave, then turned back to his food. He took a spoonful of his hot soup and sipped it quietly, gazing upon his father from under half lidded eyes. A feeling of dread was taking over his heart, increasing the longer he sat there. Only one thing ran through his mind: he knew.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

The evening meal had long since ended and all in the Woodland Realm had drifted off to their homes to find rest. Those residing in the palace had locked themselves away in their private chambers, including the royal family. Only a few elves still wandered the halls, most of them having returned from their jobs throughout the palace. The moon was not even a highest peak and stars dotted the black heavens. It was yet another typical night in the forest, peaceful and quiet.

Only one elf was no where near ready to sleep, and that was the youngest prince of Mirkwood. He stood upon the balcony of his private quarters, his hands resting heavily on the silver banister and the cool forest air whipping through his golden locks. Bright, cerulean eyes shimmered like the stars above as he gazed about his beloved homeland. A contented sigh escaped his lips and he smiled.

The doors to his room suddenly creaked open then closed again and he turned, gazing back into the dark chamber. His smile widened when he saw his brother weaving his way towards him and then come to stand beside him.

They sat in silence for a long moment, both finding comfort in each other's presence. Legolas took the time to gaze upon the ellon beside him, his eyes trailing over his sharp features and emerald eyes. He looked so much like his father, he noted, and had very much the same personality. He was stubborn and proud, but he held courage and strength. Whether this came from his position as Crown Prince, he did not know. But he let this slip from his mind quickly, having other things more important to think about.

"What took you so long?" He questioned and Nórui jumped as though he had forgotten his brother was there. He shrugged.

"I simply took my time, is all." He replied, "And I ran into someone. Quite literally."

"Oh?" The golden haired ellon quirked his brow. The other elf leaned up against the railing.

"Yes. Glithiel." His voice suddenly took on a breathy tone to it and his eyes sparkled, a soft smile coming upon his lips. Legolas chuckled.

"What was she doing wandering about, I wonder?"

The Crown Prince shrugged, "She said had been visiting a friend and was returning to her quarters. But I knew that she really had been searching for me." At this, the younger elf nudged him gently in the ribs.

"I cannot possibly imagine how she knew that you would be wandering the halls during the night." He commented sarcastically, rolling his eyes and smiling. Nórui laughed.

"Ah, dear brother. You would not understand the bond that she and I share. It is something that only two lovers would know of, and comprehend." He beamed as his mind drifted off to thoughts of the lady they spoke of and the younger elf sighed in annoyance.

"If you say so." He muttered to himself, then glanced up at him curiously, "So, did you do it?"

Nórui jumped slightly as he was brought out of his daydreaming, then looked to him with a furrowed brow, "Do what?" Legolas gave him a meaningful glance and the dark haired ellon blushed, looking away. He shook his head, "Nay, I did not." The golden haired prince sighed in exasperation.

"By the Valar…you know what the answer will be, Nórui. Just do it so that you will stop fretting over it."

"It is not as easy as you think! What if she says no?"

"She will not; Glithiel would never do such a thing to you. She loves you too much, perhaps too much for her own good."

"Either way, it is still difficult. And even if she does say yes, that means we would be forced to spend a year alone, away from each other." He made as if to continue but cut himself short, shaking his head. After a long tense moment, he started again, "But this is not what we are here to discuss. Here." Carefully from within his pocket, he drew out a thin necklace. Its design was simple with one emerald jewel dangling from the center, surrounded by tiny diamonds, but both elves knew it was priceless.

"Wonderful." Legolas grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Legolas, are you sure we should be doing this? At least, using this necklace." The other ellon suggested hesitantly, "After all, Naneth gave it to her when she was born. It means the world to her."

"She will get over it." He responded casually, "It isn't like we aren't going to give it back or anything. I'm sure she will understand when she realizes it is all in jest." Nórui sighed worriedly.

"If you insist."

"I do. Now stop worrying and come on! I don't know about you, but I am exhausted and want to sleep!" The golden haired prince grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him through his chambers and out into the hall.

**XX**

**Alright, there is the first chapter. And I am so much happier with it than the original. So for those of you just starting to read, please keep in mind that the following chapters may not be as high quality until I am happy with all of them. Thanks again. :)**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	2. Prancing Princes

**Alright, here is the revamp of chapter two. Hope it turns out better. :D **

**I didn't do a disclaimer last chapter, did I? Well, here you go. If you recognize it, I don't own it. Yay. Now on to the chapter.**

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Chapter 2- Mischief of Another Sort

As expected, the hall was relatively empty that night, except for the occasional noble or advisor passing by. No one tried to stop them or question them, for the royal family was sometimes known for wandering about at night, especially the princes. Either that, or they were all just too tired to care what they were doing. Whatever the reason was, both Legolas and Nórui took it to their advantage.

The Crown Prince watched his brother nervously as he carried the necklace loosely in his fingers, just waiting to slip from his light grip and crash to the floor. He could imagine the priceless jewels shattering into millions of shards, and the tiny beads rolling across the polished stone under doors and between crevices. Then the image of his sister's outraged face, her cheeks red from anger, when she found out what they had done. He did not even want to think of what his father would say.

"Legolas," He started apprehensively, "Please be careful with that." He couldn't help but let his thoughts be known to the younger prince. The golden haired ellon looked back at him quickly, then whipped his head back around.

"You worry too much, Nórui. I fear for the future of this kingdom when- _if_- you ever take the throne." He teased, then brought to necklace up to glance at it. He studied it for a few moments only before sticking his index finger in the air and twirling the necklace around it casually.

"Legolas!" Nórui snapped, storming forward to snatch it out of his brother's hands. He then gingerly tucked it in his own pocket and glared at the elf. Legolas sighed in exasperation and continued forward again without a word.

Their sister's room was a considerable distance away from their own, for some unknown reason. The royal family had their private chambers in the same general vicinity of each other, but as the younger princess grew older and matured, she desired a room separate from the others. Thranduil had said that this was normal and she was becoming more independent. Legolas said that she was just being arrogant.

"My lords?" A voice called to them from down the hall they just came from. Both stopped abruptly and they looked back over their shoulders to see a dark haired ellon gazing down at them, tightening the belt around his dark robe.

"Yes?" The Crown Prince asked after a long moment, stepping away from the younger elf.

"I was merely curious as to what you were up to." He said after a large yawn, blinking tiredly. He crossed his arms loosely about his chest.

"Nothing in particular, my lord. The both of us are having trouble finding sleep, so we thought a long stroll around the palace might help to quiet our minds." He added a reassuring smile for good measure. The other elf then nodded in acceptance, then waved his hand in parting before returning to his own room. He did not say anything, but he could tell that both princes were not simply 'strolling around the palace'.

"That was a little too close for comfort." Legolas commented as they continued down the hall at a slower pace.

"Yes, thanks to you. Had you not been racing down the hall like an angry mûmak."

The young prince gave a snort of laughter, "'Mûmak', Gwador? You know as well as I do that those old takes of giant beasts are nothing more than Haradrim legends." 

"I wouldn't count on that." Nórui said, "Try spending some time in the library one day, and you will find that not all about them is myth." With a dubious glance, the golden haired prince folded his arms behind him back.

"I am sorry, but I cannot honestly believe a creature eighteen meters high is able to exist. I have to see it to believe it." He raised his nose upwards haughtily.

The Crown Prince smiled, "Then I hope that one day, on an adventure that takes you far from your home, you see one of these beasts. And then you'll be able to tell me all about it and I can say, I told you so." Smirking, Legolas punched his brother playfully in the arm before breaking into a brisk jog.

"I have no intentions of ever leaving this place, nor do I have any intentions of visiting Harad."

"Maybe they will come to you."

"Right, and maybe the Valar will allow Fëanor to be reborn."

Nórui did not comment on this, only smiling discreetly and following after his brother.

When they finally arrived at the door they were searching for, Legolas immediately grabbed a hold onto the door and began to pull the lever down, but the older elf grabbed his wrist and said quietly, "A bit hasty tonight." He pulled his hand away from the door and removed the necklace from his pocket, handing it to his brother, "Here." The golden haired ellon frowned.

"You do it." He insisted.

"No, no, it was your idea. If anyone is to incur the wrath of our sister at the moment, it will be you." He nudged Legolas and nodded towards the door, "Go on."

Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, the young prince placed his hand on the lever and pushed the door open slowly. He winced when the hinges squeaked and he stopped, then opened it the rest of the way a moment later. He peered inside the dark room, his cerulean eyes scanning over the contents of the chamber, including the still form on the bed. When he was positive the elf sleeping was not planning to wake up any time soon, he stepped lightly inside.

The prince felt his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room, and he waited another moment before continuing on. While his eyes were transfixed on a small box situated on a tall dresser, his sensitive ears were fully alert and aware of any sort of motion on the bed. His senses seemed to tingle and he held his breath.

When he came to it, he placed his fingers delicately on the small box, tracing over the gold designs. He remembered that it had been his mother's, given to his sister before the queen had died. It had since become one of the princess's most beloved possession, the memories of her mother the most precious.

A slight stirring on the bed broke Legolas out of his thoughts and he went back to his task, carefully opening the box and placing the necklace inside, then closing it once again. He hurried out of the room as quietly as he could, then shut the door behind him. He let out the breath that he was unaware he had been holding, then smiled triumphantly up at his brother.

"That was easy."

"Indeed." Nórui laughed, clapping the younger elf's shoulder, "Now you get to deal with her once she realizes what has happened.

"Ah well, she will forget about it in a few days." Legolas shrugged nonchalantly.

"For your sake, I hope she does."

The two brothers then started back the way they came, laughing and talking quietly to one another. Both were blissfully unaware of what would come the next morning, and not all of it had to do with their latest mischief.

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**Yay, another revamp chapter complete! This one pretty much follows the same idea as the old one, but it is infinitely better. I only wish that when I was a stupid twelve year old, just starting this story, I had come up with a better idea than a necklace. Ug. **

**Oh, and for those people who- like me- are Americans and haven't grasped the metric system yet (why, oh, WHY can't we just switch to metric!), eighteen meters is roughly sixty feet. According to a unit converter I found online. Yea. Eheh. Thanks for reading!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	3. The Beginning

**Hey! I back! Okay, just some things for you. This is also a romance story. I forgot to add it when I first uploaded it. Sorry! I am not sure when I will add romance, or how "lovey dovey" it will be, but it will be there eventually. I hope this doesn't discourage you from reading it!! The rating may go to PG-13, but I don't know yet. I will tell you if it does. Also, I will try to continue the updating routine I have been doing, which is a new chapter every other day or so. Lately though, I have been bombarded with homework and tests, so I will try my best to keep the chapters coming. With that said...**

**Disclaimer: Grr...I don't own anything in this. I only own the ones that you don't recognize, and even them I may not own. Just assume I own nothing except myself! But wait, the teachers own me...**

**_Italics are thoughts_**

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Chapter 3- The Beginning

It was early morning. The sun was just starting to come up, signaling the start of the lords' and lady's work in Mirkwood. But not today. This was the one day in the week where all the elves got the day off, where they did not have to wake up at the crack of dawn. They all had plans to sleep in and catch up on their sleep, but this plan came to a screeching halt when all were woken up by the slamming of doors and yelling.

A woman was running down the hallway. She was wearing only her night gown and a thin robe over top of it. She had brown hair and green eyes.

"Melyanna!" The young woman on the bed jerked up. She had brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a silk night gown.

"What?" She asked sleepily.

"What do you think you are doing with this?!" The other woman snapped at her as she held up a beautiful silver necklace with sapphires linked together on a chain.

"What do you mean? You have it, not me. Go back to bed." She dropped her head back down onto the fluffy pillows.

"I have it now, but I found it in your jewelry box!" She stomped over to the bed as the other woman rolled onto her back.

"What do you mean it was in my jewelry box?!"

"You took it from me, Melyanna! I can't believe you would do that when you know how important it is to me! Naneth gave it to me!" The other woman, Melyanna, sat up in her bed.

"I didn't take it, Lothron! Honestly!" Lothron put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, yea? Then how did it get into your box over night?"

"I don't know! The only people awake last night were the guards, Ada, and..." She paused in realization. They both stared at each other, a glare forming on their face.

"LEGOLAS!" They both shouted at the top of their lungs. If any elf in the palace was trying to get back to sleep, the idea of it was now pointless.

The two women flew out of the room and down the hallway, nearly knocking over an annoyed looking elf lord. He shook his fist at them as they turned the corner, cursing some unmentionable words.

The youngest elf prince woke up with a jolt. He waited before his senses to adjust and then got off the bed.

"Must hurry," he told himself, "Sisters looking to kill brother." He pulled his leggings on and hurried out of the room towards his brother's room.

He burst in the door and found his brother already sitting on the edge of the bed. He had a sleepy look in his eyes as he turned to his brother.

"Naneth?" He asked. Legolas shook his head and sat beside him.

"No, it's Legolas. Now wake up because I am at risk of being pummeled and killed." Norui shook his head and looked at his younger brother.

"Oh, yes. Sorry, Legolas. You look so much like her." Legolas sighed.

"Now is not the time, Norui! Lothron and Melyanna are after me!" he shouted.

"Why? Did you put blue dye in their hair brushes again?" He asked.

"No, you idiot! The necklace!" Norui shook his head again and concentrated.

"The necklace? Oh yes! The necklace!" He grinned and Legolas rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the necklace. Now hide me!" Norui laughed and stood up. He led him over to his balcony and opened the glass doors. A set of winding stairs made it's way down to the forest floor.

"Alright, Legolas. Do you remember where the old tree house was that we made when we were still young elflings?" Norui asked him. Legolas nodded. "Good, then go there and stay there. I will come and get you once our sisters aren't raging anymore."

"Okay, thank you, Norui. Just don't forget about me!" Legolas punched him playfully in the shoulder. Norui laughed and rubbed his arm.

"You are pretty strong for someone who spends three quarters of their day in their room. You would make a great protector for the one who needs you the most. Like, say, a wife?" Norui teased.

"Shut up, Norui." He stepped onto the balcony. "Just don't forget me like you have many times before."

"I won't, don't worry." He assured him. Legolas nodded and started to make his way down the stairs.

As Norui watched the last part of his brother's head, a sharp burst of pain suddenly hit him in his head. He stumbled, then shook his head.

_That was weird...'wonder what that was all about._

He shrugged it off and lay back down on his bed, burrowing himself deep within the blankets.

_It is probably nothing. Too much Dorwinion maybe._

That was his last thought as he drifted into the dreamless elven sleep.

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**There you go! Another chapter! I'm sorry if it is a little boring, but it is necessary to the plot of the story. Expect to hear from me Saturday! (6/9/04)**

**Deana: I'm glad you like the painting! It was originally part of another story I was writing a long time ago and I just found it. I thought it would add some humor to the story. Plus, I needed to make the chapter longer, but didn't want to include this chapter in it which was my original plan. Once again, I'm glad you like it! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Until next time,**

**Manwathiel**


	4. Who?

**Yay! I'm back! Here is another chapter!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything. Not even my soul. I sold it to J.R.R Tolkien.**

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Chapter 4- Who?

The Crown Prince of Mirkwood awoke to a continuous pounding on his door.

"Norui! Open the door!" Lothron shouted at him. "We know you are hiding that little pest in there!" Norui yawned loudly.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Leave me alone." He said, sleepily.

"Oh yes, you do! Open. The. Door!" Melyanna yelled. Norui rose slowly from his bed.

"Alright, alright! Just give me a second!" From a pile of clothing throw carelessly into a corner of the room, he put on a pair of brownish leggings and flung a hunter green tunic over his shoulder. He made his way to the door and opened it. He was met with the sight of his two angry sisters, red in the face. He grinned.

"Good morning. How may I help you?" Lothron grabbed her brother's ear and pulled him towards herself.

"Where is he!?" She demanded. Norui yelped.

"Ouch! Let me go!" He pushed against her. "Release me and I will tell you what you need to know!" Melyanna grinned and stepped away from her brother. Rubbing his ear, Norui continued. "So, what do you want?"

"We want to know where Legolas is so we can kill him! Where are you hiding him?" Lothron demanded. Norui grinned stupidly.

"Define 'where' and 'is' and 'he' for me, please." Lothron growled.

"You know perfectly well who I am talking about! That stupid little brother!"

"I'm right here!" He shouted happily, raising his arms in the air.

"Not you! Legolas! Where is the little runt?!" With that, Norui decided she had taken it too far. He glared at her.

"What do you call him?" He hissed between his teeth.

"Oh, Norui, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I swear I didn't! I love Legolas just as much as you do!" Lothron pleaded to him. Then, to her surprise, Norui grinned.

"What? Are you looking for somebody or something?" Then Lothron glared daggers at him.

"Why, you little!" She pounced on him, sending him to the ground, joined by Melyanna. Norui kneed them both in the stomach, but in return got his hair practically yanked out of his scalp. Norui had gained a bloody lip and the two women had gotten some bruised arms by the time they heard a booming voice behind them.

"Children! What is the meaning of this?" The three quarreling siblings immediately stopped their fighting to turn to the person behind them. To their displeasure and fear, their father stood before them.

"Um, nothing, Ada! We were just playing is all!" Melyanna lied, but he didn't seem to buy it.

"Playing!? You call that playing?! You three looked like you were out to kill each other! What could Norui have done to make you want to kill him?" Norui's jaw dropped.

"How do you know I did something, Ada?!"

"Because one, it is natural, and two, you and Legolas are always at the root of the problem." Norui blushed in embarrassment. "So, what did you do, Noruion?" The Crown Prince cringed. Only when he did something really bad was that name used.

"Well, Legolas and I kind of pulled a joke on them, is all." The Elvenking crossed his arms.

"What kind of joke?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. Norui shifted uncomfortably under his father's gaze.

"All we did was put one of Lothron's necklaces in Melyanna's jewelry box! It's not that big of a deal!" The King rubbed his temples in annoyance.

"Fine. Norui, you will clean the Upper Halls after the feast tonight, and Legolas will clean the dungeons. Is that clear?" He asked, crossing his arms. Norui nodded.

"Yes, Adar. I understand." Thranduil, the king, rolled his eyes and started back down the hall, mumbling about the immaturity of a certain few princes and princesses.

Lothron gave Norui a glare as Melyanna walked away, quite happy with her brothers' punishment. Lothron laughed and walked away. Norui sighed as he stood up.

"Oh well, it's not like I haven't had to clean the Halls before." He changed into his clothes and made his way down the halls to start his daily duties as Crown Prince.

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**And there you have it! Another chapter! I didn't update when I said I would because of my evil teachers and their evil homework. Curse them. **

**Goldfire- Thanks! I'm glad you like it! You have a great story too! I can't wait for you to update as well.**

**Stephanie aka Raniver- Thank you for the thank you! lol. I also recommended you too! I'm glad you read my story! Thanks!**

**Until next time,**

**Manwathiel**


	5. Discovering New and Old

**AH! No one is reviewing! cries Oh well, I guess I will keep going...**

**Disclaimer-Um, nope! Still nothing!**

**_Italics are thoughts_**

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Chapter 5- Discovering New and Old

Deep in the forest, the sun was beginning to shine through the trees. The scattered lilies where starting to show off their gold and silver blossoms, a rare type in Middle Earth, let alone Mirkwood.

Legolas neared the old fort that he and his brother had made as young elflings. They would spend hours hiding in there so no one could find them. It became quite fun for them to scare their mother and father, but a horror to them. They stopped going there after the tragic day of their mother's , but that is another story to be told some other time.

The fort still looked basically the same, but the color of the exterior had been changed from a hunter green to a maroon-ish color.

_That is strange. I wonder who has found it. _

He climbed up the ladder up the ladder, made of branches and of elven rope from his oldest brother's wedding given by the elves of Lorien, but once again, a story to be told later.

The door creaked as the young elf opened it. He was shocked at what he found in the old fort. His old bow he got at the age of about 500 years was hung on the wall along with his old quiver or arrows next to it. On a shelf in the back of the area were various items of his from his childhood. What shocked him the most was that there were numerous paintings of one certain elf. Him!

"What the heck is this?!" He exclaimed. He walked over to his old bow and quiver and unhooked them from the wall. As he slung the two belongings over his back, he could hear a high pitched giggling coming from upstairs. Though his mind told him not to go up there, Legolas couldn't control his curiosity to see who had created this room.

He climbed up the old staircase and peered out into the upper level. Five elven women were sitting in a circle, talking about who knows what. (A/N: Alright, like I warned you in the first chapter, the 's talk might be considered modernized, so don't flame me on it and say "That doesn't stick to Tolkien's story! This sux!". My opinion to that is Tolkien left so much of his world a mystery, there might be some people who actually talk like this. Okay, carry on!)

"Oh my, Wilyawing! Did you see what he had on yesterday? That beautiful gray tunic with silver buttons!" The maiden yelped in happiness. Legolas ed his head.

_It was just a tunic...what are these women getting at?_

"I know, Mellanni! And have you ever got a whiff of his hair? It smells like Rivendell when all of the flowers are blooming!" They all giggled.

_What the heck are they talking about?! Are they mad?_

"Oh, yea?" A voice rang out from the corner. "I think it smells like a rotting carcass." All of the other s looked to the source of the sound, including Legolas.

"Jaimea," the one woman, Wilyawing, complained, "Why do you hang out here if you do not even like the prince?" Jaimea shook her head.

"Oh, I do like him. I have to like the royals. I don't have a choice but to like them. I just don't obsess over him like you do. Face it, no one has a chance with him unless they themselves come from a royal background. The King's children are just stuck up, little brats who get whatever their greedy hearts desire." She finished, bitterness dripping from her every word.

At hearing her say this about his family, Legolas had to say something, no matter how much his brain told him not to.

"Actually, milady, our family is not anything like that. Our oldest brother got married to a commoner just like yourself. Royalty matters nothing in relationships, as long as there is love between the two." All of the s, even Jaimea, turned their attention to the voice coming from the stairs. Mellanni grabbed Wilyawing's arm.

"Wilyawing, am I dreaming?"

"Oh, Mellanni, I hope not. If you are, do not wake up." It was now that Legolas realized he made a mistake speaking out. He mentally kicked himself.

The s started creeping towards the prince as a predator would stalk it's prey. Legolas, being the 'prey', started backing down the stairs, fear showing in his eyes. He could deal with a spider, maybe two, any day, but crazed elleths? That was a different story.

"Perhaps I should go..." He spun around and bolted down the stairs, skipping groups of two or three. As he ran, he could hear the light pitter-patter of their feet in pursuit of him. Throughout this whole display, Jaimea still sat in the corner, staring at the spot where Legolas once sat before.

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**::pouts:: I don't have anybody to thank today... I would really appreciate it if anybody who reads this at least says 'Hi' so I know that someone is actually reading this. Thanks. **


	6. First Occurrences

**Yay! I got reviews this time! Here is another chapter for you guys!**

**Disclaimer- You all know the drill. I own nothing and I never will...unless I find out the I am Tolkien's great, great, great...5 HOURS LATER...great, great, great, great granddaughter! Then I might own something! Okay, on with the chappie...**

**_Italics are thoughts or elvish. I assume you all will be able to tell which is which...hopefully...the elvish is from _****_. I recommend visiting that site._**

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Chapter 6- First Occurrences

Norui, the Crown Prince of Mirkwood, was finally finishing up his punishment of cleaning the Upper Halls. Though it was better, any of the maids could find crumbs and forgotten areas.

He noticed that a few of the maids sitting on one of the tables had been watching him as he workedand they giggled as he turned to face him.

"Hello, Prince Norui. I believe you have missed a big spot over there." She informed him flirtatiously as she pointed to a spot under the table. Norui chuckled and winked at her.

"Thank you for pointing that out, milady." They giggled once more and the said maiden blushed.

_Fools. They know I will never fall for them._

He was brought out of his thoughts by a gentle, yet firm tug on the tips of his ears. He smiled, knowing who it would be.

"Hello, _melamin_." A soft voice rang out. Norui turned to face the one who spoke to him.

"_Ai_, Glithiel, _Im gelir ceni ad lin_." The woman, Glithiel was her name, smiled and put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. Norui wrapped his arms around her gently. "_Man anirach cerin an le_?" He asked her quietly.

"Nothing, love. I was just getting tired of sitting around." She replied, breathing in his fresh, woody scent. She gripped onto his tunic and sighed in happiness. A wide grin then appeared on Norui's lips.

"Oh really? Well, I think I can help you with that." He said enthusiastically. He then started pushing her gently out of the sight of the maidens who were now greatly disappointed. Glithiel giggled.

"Norui!" She said between giggles, "What do you think you are doing?" Though she knew full well of what his intention was. Without responding, he pinned her up against the wall gently, but enough to keep her in place, and playfully kissed the tips of her ears. He roamed down to her cheek, her neck, her chin, and then firmly placed his lips upon hers. Glithiel ran her hands up and down his back as he still kept his strong and loving grip around her waist. The two would have kissed more passionately, but they were interrupted by a sudden jolt; one similar to what Norui felt earlier in his room, he noticed. Norui gasped then and collapsed to the ground with a thud, landing on his back. Glithiel followed with a short screech that was cut off by something unknown and fell over on top of Norui.

The maidens that had been somewhat flirting with the prince came around the corner.

"I can not believe he led us on like that!" One of them, shouted quite annoyed.

"Nay, I do not believe he led us on. You perhaps were just too foolish to realize that he was only thanking you. It was you who started with him." One argued back.

"It was still uncalled for. That smile could melt any woman's heart."

"Perhaps that is why Lady-" She paused in her sentence to find two elves lying on top of each other on the floor. Before any of them could say anything else, they too were collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

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_**Melamin- my love**_

_**Im gelir ceni ad lin- I am happy to see you again**_

_**Ai- Ah**_

_**Man anirach cerin an le- What can I do for you?**_

**Okay, I know it is short, but I felt it would be better to end the chapter right there! It is a good stopping point, I believe...::snickers and rubs hands together mischeviously::.A new one will be up shortly, perhaps a longer one then the usual ones. **

**Butter-fly Elf- Thanks for letting me know you are reading. What is confusing to you? If you tell me, I will try to clear it up for you in my next update!**

**Eileen- Thanks! I am really glad you like it! I was thinking some one was going to flame me about the modernization, but I am glad you like it. I am glad you think it is original too! Thanks for reading!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	7. Falling Into Darkness

**I'm baaaaack!!! ::everyone groans:: HEY! ::everyone cheers:: That's better! Here is another chapter for you!**

**Disclaimer- Aw, do I have to say this again!? How about we just all assume that I don't own anything and never will, okay? Good, no more disclaimers!**

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Chapter 7- Falling Into Darkness

The young elf prince was making his way back to his old fort as stealthily as he could. He had been chased throughout the area of the fort by his "fans" and was exhausted. His tunic had been torn across his arms and chest from numerous branches and thorns in his desperate attempt to loose the crazed maidens. He could have sworn that he could hear the voices of the trees laughing at him, quite amused.

He scampered up the rope ladder, ran inside and locked the door behind him. Just to be safe, he crawled up the stairs and locked the door behind him as well.

_Better safe then sorry._ He told himself.

He slid down the wall to the floor and closed his eyes to rest. He made himself slow his heart beat down to it's normal rate and tried to fall into a slumber to pass the time waiting for his brother.

A few moments later, he felt something warm and smooth rest up against his cheek. His eyes sprang open and grabbed what ever was touching him. It jumped, startled, as did he.

"My lord? Are you alright?"

_It is that from before. I better not have to run from her too!_

Legolas was too shocked and tired to say anything. His hand slid from her wrist and he once again closed his eyes, no longer caring what she did to him. She then put her hand to his forehead, as if checking for something. Legolas opened one eye a tiny bit.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, curious. She looked him in the eyes.

"You are hot." She responded. Legolas's other eye shot open and he pulled as far away from her as he could, waiting for her to pounce on him.

"What did you say?!"

"No, my prince! I did not mean it in that way. You are warm, I mean. The others seemed to have worn you out pretty bad." The tired prince then relaxed his tension.

"Tell me about it." He laughed softly. The maiden took her hand away.

"I will be right back, my lord." She stood up and began to walk out the door.

"Please," He said suddenly, "Do not call me that. I have a name and I would prefer it is you used it."

"Oh, I could not do that. You are of the royal family and I must respect you." Legolas waved his hand, dismissing it.

"I am no different then anyone else in this forest. I just happened to be born into a family with a noble lineage. It is nothing special." He assured her and smiled slightly.

"Well, if you insist, my lor- Legolas." She then continued her way down the stairs, embarrassed that she had used his name.

Legolas sat up straight and rest his hand across his stomach, feeling his stomach growl. He moaned.

_I wish I had time to eat some breakfast before I left. Running around didn't help much either! Stupid s!_

He furrowed his brow when he felt something warm reach his arm. He lifted it up to find that a thin layer of coated a small part of his lower arm and his tunic. He quickly shed his tunic and undershirt. He found that a wide gash spread across his abdomen. He threw his head back in anger.

"Not again!" He hissed between his teeth. From his knapsack, he took a cloth and licked it with his tongue, then used it to clean his wound. He then drew out a thin needle and thick thread and began to stitch up the gash. It was then that the lady appeared once more.

"Legolas, I brought-" She gasped when she saw the wound on his stomach. "What are you doing? Did they do that to you?!" He stopped what he was doing and gave her a small smile.

"No, I was helping my brother fight off orcs a few weeks ago and I slipped down a slope, giving one the opportunity to swipe me with his blade. I was lucky it wasn't poisoned."

"It still hasn't healed?" She asked, gazing at the cut.

"Well, it should have by now, but it keeps opening up." He told her, continuing his work.

"Well I wonder why." She said sarcastically. Legolas grinned at her, a look of innocence on his face and the woman chuckled, shaking her head.

"You seem just like a child. It is funny. When I see you at feasts, you look so serious, aged beyond your years. But now I see you, acting like any normal elf would, I have different thoughts." Legolas smiled.

"I only act serious there because my _Ada_ would wring my neck if I so much as stepped one foot out of line. I do not wish to deal with his wrath. That is my brother's job." She laughed.

"Here, let me help you with that, Legolas." From her own pack, she took a roll of cloth. "Now stand up." She ordered, a smile still playing on her lips. He held up his hand and she took it, pulling him to his feet.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, pretending to be clueless. She rolled her eyes and chuckled again.

"This is going to go around you so the bleeding stops and hopefully you won't get yourself hurt before it has time to heal." Legolas nodded.

"Alright." She then began to wrap the cloth around him, making him spin around in order to make him dizzy. Legolas wavered on his feet. "What did you say your name was?" He asked after he was still again. She finished up his bandaging and looked up at him.

"It is Jaimea."

"Well, thank you, Jaimea, for helping me." She smiled.

"Anytime, Legolas."

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"Norui had better have finished cleaning the Halls!" Thranduil hissed angrily.

He was still trying to find his youngest son and had grown impatient with the search. The Elvenking turned the corner and what was shocked at what he found. Five young elves lay on the ground, stacked on top of each other. He recognized the only male as his son, Norui, and the four women as Glithiel and three of his maids.

"Noruion! What do you think you are doing?! Get up!" There was no response. It was then that the Woodland King realized that his son's eyes were closed, as well as the maidens'. This meant that they could not possibly be asleep, for elves slept with their eyes open. "Norui? Glithiel?" He called to them, but there was still no response. He knelt down to them and shook them. When, yet again, he was meant with no response, he sighed. "This does not bode well."

"Thranduil." The King was brought out of his thoughts when someone called him. He turned around, but no one was there.

"Who is there?" He shouted out in a commanding voice. There was no answer. He called again. "Where are you? What do you want?" He saw a suit of armor against the wall and took it's sword. "Show yourself!" He shouted. Who or what ever had called him did as it was told. It swept out of a corner, heading straight for Thranduil. He dropped his sword and turned to run, but never took a step for it had already passed. The Elvenking of Mirkwood stumbled over his son and fell to the floor. He saw no more.

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**Ada- Father**

**MUAHAHAHAA! There goes another chapter for you all! I hoped you liked it! **

**Moriarwen- Thanks! I am happy to know that someone thinks it is well written. I was worried about getting flames about that. Thanks for assuring me! Once again, thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Butterfly-Elf- LOL. Don't worry, you aren't stupid. Well, maybe you are, but I believe we are all stupid in our own little way! I am also a little confused about a certain part that I am busy writing. But I will have it figured out before I need to post it, no need to worry. Anyways, I am glad you like that part. I love Legolas, but I think that there is something about him that makes us all want to him. LOL. Well, thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel **


	8. Quarrels

**Chapter Chapter Chapter! YAY! Okay, I hope you liked the last one! Here is another!**

**Disclaimer-Wait, didn't I say that I was done with these...? ::shrugs::**

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Chapter 8- Quarrels

Legolas lay with his sensitive ear to the ground, listening.

"They are here." He announced.

He and the lady, Jaimea, had been sitting together for maybe an hour or so talking about their lives and old memories, just getting to know each other.

"Yes, I know." Jaimea said, "You go and hop out the window and I will keep their attention from you."

"No," He replied, "I can not go back yet. My brother is going to come for me. He will have to deal with the others now." He smirked at the thought.

"Fine then. I am going to let them in once they get up here."

"No!" He hissed.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

"Jaimea! Let us in!" Legolas recognized that one as Wilyawing. Jaimea then leaned against the door, preventing them from just walking on in and locked it.

"No, Jaimea, please don't open the door!" Legolas begged to her. Jaimea chuckled, placing her fingertips to her lips femininely.

"Hey you guys, I have a visitor!" She shouted at them teasingly through the door.

"Really? Who is it?" One of them asked her curiously.

"You will have to guess!" She teased once more. Jaimea faced Legolas and laughed when she saw the desperate look on his face. It was a few moments before the women spoke up again.

"Is it Legolas?!" They all chimed in together hopefully. Jaimea smirked at Legolas who was turning pale.

"Wow, you guys are good! That is exactly who is in here with me!" The girls then shrieked with happiness and began pounding madly on the door.

"Then let us in! Do not keep him to your self!" She then began to turn the lock.

"Jaimea, I beg you! Don't open the door!" She smiled at him as she began to turn the door knob. "Anything your heart desires, I will see that it is made! Just don't open the door!" She chuckled once more.

"Sorry, Legolas!" She flung open the door and five very excited maidens jumped on top of the prince. "I couldn't resist!" Legolas shouted and struggled to get away from them, but to no avail.

"Let go of me!" He ordered them. He kicked and shoved them away, but always ended up back in their hold. One of them grabbed a hold of a clasp on his tunic and managed to yank it off of him and then she held it up in the air.

"I got a clasp!" She shouted, grinning from ear to ear. The others looked up at it, then they jumped the maiden in their jealousy. Legolas took this as an opportunity to get away and backed himself into a corner, panting. Jaimea was now pleased and she stepped in front of the fighting women.

"My friends!" She called out. They all stopped fighting and turned to face her. "That is enough! Leave our prince alone! I'm sure you now have no chance of ever having a relationship with him!" After thinking a moment, they all nodded sadly, realizing she was probably right and sat against the wall opposite from the young elf prince. Legolas looked around at them all, still breathing heavily. He noticed that they still had their eyes glued to him and he glared daggers at them. Jaimea sat beside him.

"Legolas?" She began.

"What?" He responded angrily.

"You are bleeding again." She pointed to his stomach as he threw his head back against the wall. Blood was seeping through his already bloody tunic.

"I am getting tired of having to stitch it up." He said, annoyed. He took off his two tunics once more to find that his stitches had once again opened. He growled to himself as he pulled out his "stitching supplies". He began to stitch up his wound when he was interrupted by Jaimea.

"Here, let me help you." She took his hand, taking the needle, and then put her other hand on his stomach to steady him. But she furrowed her brow when she saw his expression. His face had gone completely pale and he seemed to be shivering.

"Legolas? What is wrong?" He then slapped her hand away.

"Do not touch me." She took this the wrong way, not realizing it was not the anger he had right now that had caused him to react that way.

"Legolas, do not be mad at me. I am sorry." She said apologetically. This caused Legolas to return back to normal, remembering their small quarrel.

"I told you not to open the door." He said bitterly.

"I could not help myself!" The angry prince slid his tunic back on, forgetting his gaping wound and stood up.

"Well then you should control your actions!" He shouted. Jaimea stood up to face hi as well.

"And you should learn to control your temper!" She argued back. At this, Legolas was surprised. Never before had he been challenged, but he decided that would not get her any respect from him.

"You shut up now!"

"Never! Especially to you!" Legolas was boiling now. Before the argument could get any worse, he stormed down the stairs, slamming the door behind him, and sat on the window sill, gazing out in the direction of his home. He could barely pick out a bird flying in the air, coming in his direction even with his excellent elven eyes.

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**Moriarwen- I am glad you liked that part! Here is more for you!!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	9. Lost in My Mind

'**Ello. Nothing to say. Enjoy. **

**_Italics represent the mental battle in Norui's mind_**

'…' **represent thoughts**

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Chapter 9- Lost in My Mind

The halls were dark and gloomy, normally full of life and laughter from the children of the King, but not today. One lone maid walked down this hall and gasped at what she saw, dropping her tray of dishes.

"M-my lord?" She stuttered. She knelt down beside the Elvenking and gazed upon the five younger elves that he lay next to. "Oh my…" She leapt up and hurried off down the hall, forgetting her previous duty.

Soon, the six elves were lying in beds with fresh, clean sheets that smelled of roses and wild berries in the Healing Wing. Lothron, the oldest daughter of Thranduil, sat beside her father's bed, clinging desperately onto his hand. Melyanna was in the same position with her brother, Norui.

"What happened to them?" Lothron called frantically to one of the healers.

"We are not sure, my lady Lothron. There aren't any signs of physical harm. It is almost as if they are just sleeping as Men do." She replied. The healer bent down to check the King's pulse when Melyanna suddenly shouted.

"Come look!" She shouted, tightening her grip on Norui's hand. Lothron and the healer turned their attention to her and made their way over to Norui. They found that his eyes were wide open, like he had seen a ghost. But the emerald green eyes that everyone was used to seeing were no longer there. They were red.

The healer gasped in shock. Lothron swallowed. "Norui?" She called to him quietly. There was no response. "Norui? Can you hear me?" She called again. This time he responded, but not as they expected. He began to grip onto Melyanna's hand tightly. His eyes narrowed and he made a hissing-like sound.

"Leave me alone." He growled. He gripped tighter.

"Norui, let me go!" Melyanna tugged at her arm, trying to break free of her brother's grip, but he just tightened his hold. She yelped in pain, and, to the surprise of others, Norui did as well.

"Stop! Leave me!" He shouted.

"I can't if you don't let me go!" She whimpered, still pulling desperately against her brother.

"No, Melyanna! Look at him!" The younger princess stopped tugging and took a better look at him. She gasped. His eyes that were red just moments ago were ever so slowly changing colors. Beneath the fiery red tint, emerald green could faintly be seen. His grip was steadily loosing on Melyanna.

"What is going on?" The healer questioned to her self.

** ------- ------- **

"_Leave me be, foul creature!" Norui argued. A tall, dark figure stood before him robed in black cloth, it's eyes glowing red. _

"_Never, young prince! You have no power any more!" It cackled in a scratchy voice._

"_Would you like to bet on that!" From his back, he took his longbow. Twisted in between the leaves and vines on the bow, 'Noruion Thranduilion' was written. Norui wore a confident smirk on his face. The creature cackled again, sending shivers up the prince's spine._

"_Go on! Take your best shot at me, princeling!" It taunted him. With a snort, Norui notched a golden brown arrow to his bow. Quickly, he drew it back to it's full weight and sent it flying. The arrow flew steady and true, but just as it came to the heart of the creature, a red shield-like cover formed over it, causing the arrow to ricochet in Norui's direction. The arrow shot back at him in a renewed speed and, even with his elven reflexes, was not able to dodge it before it lodged itself in his shoulder. He cried out and fell to the ground. The creature laughed maliciously._

"_You see now? You can not harm me. You must kill me to be free, but you will die as well. Face it, elf! You are mine!" Norui struggled to sit up._

"_I will never give in to the likes of you." He winced as he pulled out the arrow protruding from his shoulder and studied the shaft of it. 'How am I going to get rid of him?' He thought, 'I could try to shoot at him again, but he would just sent it back at me again. Maybe I could get close enough to…' He reached for the hilt of his sword at his waist. The creature saw this._

"_Don't even try it, prince." It warned him. "I will simply put my shield and you will die from it's touch." Norui moved his hand back to his side. _

'_There has to be something I can do!' He closed his eyes in deep thought. Suddenly, it came to him. 'He is bluffing. He will not kill me, no matter what I do. If he does, then my body will be useless to him and he will have to leave.' He sighed. 'Oh well, at least I will be with Atara in Mandos.' He smiled, remembering when he was but a very young elfling. How he would help her with his siblings. He drew out his sword from it's sheath. It was a finely polished weapon with five emerald jewels embedded in the center of the blade. He stared at his reflection in the blade. What he saw was a young elf, seeming to be only 500 years of age, but held in his eyes the wisdom of an elf aged far beyond human comprehension. This elf, Norui realized, was himself. He was still a child in the eyes of his people; such a young age to be facing dangers like this! He smiled grimly as he wiped a lone tear from his cheek. "I guess that is enough motivation." He said aloud. The being furrowed his brow._

"_What are you talking about, pathetic elf?"_

'_Be good for Ada, you guys, if I guess wrongly on this.' He thought, meaning for his siblings. Norui rose, cringing from his wound. He positioned his sword, centering in the middle of his face. (A/N: Think of Aragorn at Amon Hen in FOTR when he says his silent prayer before taking on the uruks.)_

"_Atara's blade shall taste blood once more!" He shouted and began charged at the creature, his blade emitting a luminous, green glow. _

"_Foolish!" It brought up it's red shield again, smiling evilly, but Norui saw through the mask. He charged at the creature and smiled to himself as he saw panic takeover it's form. "Stop!" He commanded, but Norui kept coming._

** ------- ------- **

"Melyanna! Look!" Lothron called to her sister. She scurried across the room from her spot at the window and knelt down beside him. The red was rapidly disappearing, allowing the natural green to shine through almost like it had always done.

** ------- ------- **

"_Leave me now!" Norui demanded, giving the being that controlled his mind an underserved second chance._

"_Never!" It argued, hesitantly._

"_Then prepare to die!" With a cry, Norui leapt up into the air to deliver the final blow. In a moment of panic, the creature let it's glowing shield down, allowing Norui's blade to slice clean through it's body. The blade's glow shined brighter, as if in approval. The creature let out an ear piercing screech, making Norui flinch, but he still held on, digging deeper. He one last shout, Norui tore the blade from the creature's body. A strong breeze blew through the area and through the body of the being. A bright light shone in Norui's eyes and he fell back. When the light had passed, the one who had possessed him was gone. Norui wiped the blade off on his leggings and shoved it back in the sheath. Just as he was about to sit and tend to the wound in his shoulder, a sharp pain shot from his leg and he cried out. An arrow had somehow found it's way into his leg._

** ------- ------- **

Norui let out a painful yell and Lothron took his hand.

"Lothron!" He called out desperately.

"I am right here, Norui!" She assured him as she gently stroked his brow. The prince's now emerald eyes came into focus to find his sister's teary ones. "Norui!" She said happily, tears of joy now falling rapidly down her cheeks. He smiled at her and reached up to touch her cheek, but a sudden surge of pain shot from his shoulder, making his throw down his arm back to the bed. He moaned. "What is the matter, dear brother?" She asked him worriedly.

"Nothing." He replied, rubbing his shoulder. "It is nothing." Melyanna then burst into the room.

"Lothron, I just sent Espenshade with a message." She glanced over at her brother and gasped when she saw he had returned to normal. "Norui!" She ran over to him and kissed him on the cheek. "I was so worried that I-" She stopped, anger coming into her voice. "That I could smack your face all of the way to Rivendell!" She smacked his injured shoulder. He yelped.

"What was that for!" He shouted with anger in his voice too.

"For doing this!" She held up her hand that he had held. It now sported brown and blue bruises.

"I didn't do that!" He argued.

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did t-"

"Shut up, you two!" Lothron cut in, smacking them both on the face. Melyanna huffed and stormed out of the Healing Wing, no longer happy her brother was alright. "Now, let me take a look at you, Norui." He nodded and she peeled the blankets away and unbuttoned his shirt. She gasped. "Norui, what happened?" A deep gash was cut into him with blood oozing down his chest. "You say that is nothing? I will get a healer." She hurried out of the room. Norui sat up slowly.

"I guess that arrow did this. I wonder…" He pushed the blankets off the rest of the way and rolled up the leg of his leggings. A wound, just like the one on his shoulder, was cut into his thigh. "I guess what ever he does to you mentally happens physically as well."

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**There ya go!** **Another chapter. I had quite fun writing this one too for some reason. :D Hope I get reviews next time! I love my arrows! ------- **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	10. Espenshade

**Yo, peoples! Manwathiel is here to supply another chapter! I hope the last chapter wasn't too confusing. **

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Chapter 10- Espenshade

"So, what is it like being a prince?" Wilyawing asked Legolas excitedly.

"Fine." He replied, quite bored.

"Do you like being a prince?" She asked again.

"It has it's ups and downs." He answered unenthusiastically. Legolas was still perched on the window sill, staring out the window still. He had given in to the women and was being arded with questions. One of them, called Tolandiel, grabbed a lock of his golden hair and took a whiff of it. Her eyes fluttered and she sighed.

"How do you get your hair to smell so good? Do you put something in it?" She asked.

"No." He responded dully.

"You mean it smells like that naturally?" He shrugged.

"Yes, I guess." With a squeal, she continued to sniff his hair and the others joined in as well. Jaimea chuckled, but received a hard glare from Legolas, shutting her up.

Legolas rested his chin on his fist. _'I must remember never to come here.' _He thought. _'I bet Norui is sitting right outside the door listening and laughing at me. Just listening to my .' _His thoughts were broken when there was a crash, followed by a series of screeches. He nearly laughed when he saw the sight on the floor. Jaimea was crouched on the ground with a bird twisted up in her hair.

"Stupid creature!" She shouted. With many tugs and pulls, she freed the bird from her hair and threw it across the room. Legolas broke from the group surrounding him and jumped in the air to catch the bird before it crashed into the wall. Once the bird had regained it's balance, it hopped on to Legolas's shoulder and gave a pleased cry. Legolas chuckled.

"Ah, Espenshade. My friend." He stroked it's chest. It was a female Peregrin Falcon with glowing, sapphire eyes. A piece of parchment was tired around her leg. Legolas untied it and sat down to read it. He laughed as Espenshade nibbled on the point of his ear. The others in the room looked in with interest. Jaimea had just finished straightening out her hair. As he read the letter, his smile faded and was replaced with a stern glare. Espenshade seemed to share the same look. He folded up the paper and shoved it in his pocket. "I must go." He stood and made his down the rope ladder. Jaimea crawled over to the edge of the fort.

"Legolas, where are you going?" She called down to him.

"Personal business." He said simply.

"Will you come back?" He didn't respond. His fleeting form had already disappeared behind the bushes and trees. Jaimea leaned back and started out into the woods. Espenshade circled above the woman's head and dropped something into her lap and then perched herself onto Jaimea's leg. "What is this?" She picked it up and read it then furrowed her brow. It was the letter Legolas had received. "But I thought he took it..." The falcon locked eyes with her. Just then, Jaimea could have sworn she heard a voice that was not her own in her head. Espenshade then flew away up into the sky, crying as she went, until Jaimea could no longer see her.

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Norui lay next to Glithiel in her bed in the Healing Wing. He caressed her cheek lovingly. It had been at least an hour since Espenshade had been sent to find Legolas.

"Fight him, Glithiel. You are strong. Much stronger then that creature." He gave her a small kiss on the lips.

Norui's wounds had been treated to and were already healing, thanks to his elven healing abilities. The healers had given him approval to wander freely once more. Just then, the doors burst open.

"Norui!" Legolas ran in through the doors and knelt down beside his brother. "Are you alright?" Norui sat up and smiled at him.

"Yes, I am now. I just need to heal up."

"Good, I was worried sick." He moved to check on his father. "Ada?" He shook him, but got no response. He called him once more, but still received nothing. "What is happening to them?" He thought aloud.

"I am not sure." Norui answered him. Legolas turned to face him.

"You don't know either?"

"I think I know what it is that is causing it, but I do not know why it is happening." Legolas bit his lip. "Maybe Mithrandir would know." The elder prince wondered.

"I have not met him before." Legolas commented.

"He is very kind. You would like him." He assured him.

"Where is he?"

"Rivendell, I believe." Legolas nodded.

"Alright, are you well enough to go?" Norui looked from his beloved to his father, then nodded.

"I would do anything for the ones I love."

"Alright," He tossed him his tunic, "Get ready." He left the room in search of his older sisters to tell them of the plan.

Espenshade had returned from moseying around the forest, but was soon off again with another message, this time to the mortal man residing in Rivendell under the care of Lord Elrond, Estel. It said this:

_Estel,_

_Leave as soon as possible and meet us at the Gladden Fields._

_Legolas_

Within an hour, all in Mirkwood were aware of Legolas's plan to seek out Mithrandir. The four children of the King were prepared to set off west and south to the Gladden Fields.

"Legolas, do you think Estel will come?" Lothron asked him, curious. He nodded.

"Most likely, why?"

"Oh, no reason really." She and Melyanna giggled femininely. Norui rolled his eyes.

"Oh please." He scoffed. The two glared at him.

"Shut up, Norui!" Melyanna shouted.

"Make me!" He challenged to her. Melyanna stuck her tongue out at him, and he did the same. Legolas and Lothron chuckled.

"Dimwits." They said in unison. A guard brought them their horses and then brought Norui aside.

"My lord," he said, "You must hurry back. Six more elves have fallen under this mysterious sleep."

"We will." He assured the guard. Legolas interrupted their conversation.

"Norui, come on! We are racing Melyanna and Lothron!" He told him, then sped off at a full gallop on his mare.

"Good bye, Norui." He smiled.

"Namarie." He put his hand to his heart, then swept it out in the air in farewell. The guard returned the gesture. "Take care of Glithiel and Ada."

"They will be just fine." Norui could still hear Legolas calling him in the distance. He leapt up onto his stallion and sped off after his brother and sisters. The guard stood there and watched them disappear over the horizon.

"Farewell." He whispered and then slowly began to make his way back to the palace.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**There you go! Another chapter! Just to let you know, the twins and Estel will be making their appearance shortly! Maybe next chapter. Maybe not. Stay tuned to find out! **

**Moriarwen- Thanks for reading! Yes, the beast is icky. ::hisses at beast:: Review again please!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	11. Flying s and Grimy SheElves

**Here is yet another chapter for you all.**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Chapter 11- Flying Terrors and Grimy She-Elves

The sun was just starting to shine through the clouds, signaling the start of the day in the Elven Haven of Imladris. A crisp breeze swept through the many halls, making it seem even more natural. The only disturbance that could be heard was the laughter and shouting of the children of Lord Elrond, Master of Rivendell.

"Elladan! Wait up!" Estel chased after his twin foster brothers through the Halls of Fire. The twins laughed.

"You must catch us first!" He told him, not able to control his laughter.

"Right, don't you want to be strong and fend for yourself someday?" The other one, Elrohir, asked him.

"Yes, but I don't see how this helps!" He replied. "And plus, it is way to hot in here!" Elrohir pushed a foot stool in front of Estel's path, but the human kept his feet.

"Do you think so?" Elladan asked.

"It seems quite comfortable to me." Elrohir added.

"Well, of course! You two are elves! You can not feel it anyway!"

'Oh yes, I forgot."

"I know! Lucky us!" They laughed and ran out of the halls and towards the Terrace Path. Not being able to keep up anymore, Estel slowed down and walked the rest of the way.

He found them sitting upon the Stone Seat. Elrohir sat on the back while Elladan sat on the arm rest.

"What took you so long?" Elrohir asked his foster brother. He received a glare in return, but they both grinned anyway. Elladan hopped off his perch and put an arm around Estel's shoulders.

"How would you like to cool off, Estel?" He asked him. Estel gave him a suspicious glare.

"That would be nice." Elrohir then stepped beside him.

"Good!" They both laughed as they pushed him into the River Bruinen that flowed beside the path.

"You imbeciles!" He shouted at the two laughing elves as he was being swiftly carried down the river.

"That is what you get for putting a pillow case full of snakes in my closet!" Elrohir shouted after him. After regaining composure, the twins sped off down the path.

They came to the bridge that led over the river and waited for Estel to flow by. Elladan took from his pack a long, silver rope and dropped it over the side. Estel grabbed a hold of it when he came by and cursed to himself as they pulled him back up onto the bridge. Elrohir wrapped his cloak around him.

"You should really be more careful, Estel." He lectured him.

"Yes, you could have died!" Elladan said, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

"_Gwanno ereb nin_!" Estel growled. They laughed.

"Come, Arwen will help get you cleaned up." Elrohir told him.

"Yes, you would like that, wouldn't you, Estel?" His eyes lit up and Elrohir patted him on the back.

"I knew you would." The twins led him down many passageways decorated with vies and pictures of old. They came to his room and left him there to get dressed. Arwen came not long after and combed through his hair.

"I am sorry about that, Estel. They are just immature." Arwen said. Estel chuckled.

"It is alright. It was just a bit of fun. The water was quite nice, actually."

"Maybe so, but what if you catch cold? This is not the time of year to be in the freezing waters of the Bruinen!" Estel took her hand.

"Arwen, do not fret. I will be fine." Lord Elrond then burst in through the doors.

"Estel! That blasted bird Espenshade is here!" The human chuckled.

"Alright. I will take care of her." He stood up and thanked Arwen, and then followed his foster father to his chambers.

When he saw the scene before him, he nearly died of laughter. Two elves, a blonde and a brunette, stood in the corner with nets raised, trying to catch a bird high up in the rafters.

"Come on down, sweet birdie!" One tried to bribe it with a piece of rabbit, but it didn't budge. Estel strode up to the two.

"Can't get her down, eh?" He chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"This thing of his is so maddening." The blonde one, Glorfindel, said.

"She isn't that bad."

"Yes, she is! Every time she comes here, trouble isn't far behind."

"How is that, Glorfindel?" Estel asked.

"Well, the Prince will invite you to take one of these "trips" of his and the both of you end up in danger. Then, you two will come crawling back either here or to Mirkwood, near death." Estel laughed.

"That is not true!"

"Yes, it is!"

"Tell me, when have we-" He was cut off by the second elf, Erestor, who shouted frantically.

"Grab her!" Glorfindel and Estel turned their attention back to the bird who swooped down over Glorfindel's head and tugged on a lock of his white-blonde hair. Erestor swung his net over her, but only succeeded in catching the Balrog Slayer's head. The falcon had already perched herself back in the rafters and made almost a laughing screech.

Glorfindel glared at her and rubbed his head.

"If Legolas doesn't come within a week, that bird is going to meet it's maker." Espenshade cried happily and danced across the beam.

"Yea, laugh now." He said and turned to walk away, but he felt something drop onto his head. He put his hand on his head and gasped. Bird droppings had been mashed into his hair. Glorfindel swept around and shook his fist at her.

"Curse you, you dumb rat!" Espenshade hopped around, screeching excitedly. Estel laughed hysterically and applauded her.

"Good girl, Espenshade! Legolas has been teaching you well!" She flapped her long, golden wings. "Now, come on down from there and let me see what Legolas has sent."

Espenshade immediately stopped screeching and stared at the future King of Men.

"Come on, girl." She didn't move. "Don't make me come up there." He warned, but she only hissed at him. Estel shrugged. "Fine. Have it your way." He pulled up a chair under where she perched and stepped up onto it. Espenshade then swooped down to him and started scratching at his face with her talons.

"Espenshade! Stop!" He yelled, but she gave no heed. Estel fell backwards off the chair. She followed him as he ran out of the room. Glorfindel and Erestor slammed the doors as Estel ran past.

"Not that bad, is she, Estel?" Glorfindel mocked him.

"Be quiet." He panted.

"I don't understand how that young lad can control such a creature." Erestor commented. "It is almost as if he didn't even tame her." Estel looked over to him.

"I don't think he did."

------------------

Legolas and Lothron were neck and neck in a race to the Gladden Fields. The four siblings had divided the race into three days and were within ¼ from the Fields. The ground thundered beneath the horses, leaving everything just a blur to the riders. Norui

and Melyanna were far back due to their constant fighting and bickering. Instead of it being a normal race, the two had turned it into a knock-each-other-off-their-horse-first race.

"You better push her harder, Lothron, or you are going to be eating Cuilpantiel's dust!" Legolas told his oldest sister. She merely laughed.

"It looks to me like your purebred is going to be beaten by my mix!"

"No way, she can take anything!"

"Then why is she bleeding at the snout?" She asked with a smirk.

"She is what?!" Legolas leaned forward over the mare's neck and to feel her snout, causing her to slow down a bit and giving Lothron the lead.

"Hey, she is- Lothron! You cheater!" He shouted and she laughed.

"Serves you right for setting us up!" She laughed again.

They quickly made it to the Gladden Fields and dismounted.

"Good girl, Ethiriel! You showed that old pony!" She patted the mare on the withers and let her wander. Legolas did the same to his horse.

"Cuilpantiel is not a pony, she is a thoroughbred, and you cheated to win."

"I did not cheat. You never said that I could not trick you into slowing down." She grinned.

"You are supposed to assume you aren't allowed to do that. It is common sense, but obviously you don't have any." He smirked and she just rolled her eyes. Norui then came up, his horse trotting proudly with it's head held high. Norui smiled smugly.

"What happened to Melyanna?" They asked him.

"Oh, she decided to take a swim." He said, hopping off of his horse. They then heard a splash on the bank of the Anduin. They turned to see what it was and laughed. Melyanna was crawling up the bank, followed by her mare.

"Shut up, you guys. It isn't funny." The mare trotted up into the grass and shook it's coat, sending water flying every where. Norui led his stallion to the water and patted it's back.

"There you go, drink up. You did a good job." He wrapped his arms around the horse's neck and sniffed in his fresh scent.

"I hope he gets colic." Melyanna mumbled.

"Melyanna!" He covered the stallion's ears. "Don't say that! I thought you loved Urúvion."

"I do, as long as you aren't riding him."

"He looks even more handsome when I ride him, though." Melyanna scoffed.

"Yea, right."

"He does!" Norui argued.

"He looks ugly with you on him! He would look a little better if Legolas rode him." At hearing his name mentioned, Legolas cleared his throat.

"Don't bring me into this. How about you and Lothron go look for Aragorn? He should be here by now, I think." Lothron jumped at this and was already gone. Melyanna followed her eagerly, forgetting her argument.

Legolas plopped down in the grass, soon followed by his mare. She rested her large head in his lap and Legolas stroked it.

"How do you feel, Norui?" The Crown Prince sat down beside his brother.

"Better. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"That is good." He replied.

"How is your wound? Has it healed yet?" Legolas lifted up his tunic and under tunic to show that his wound has been stitched up partially. Norui furrowed his brow.

"Did you forget how to stitch or something? It isn't even fully closed!"

"I, uh, got distracted." Legolas shifted uncomfortably and lowered his tunic.

"Oh, well, you should get it fixed sometime." Legolas nodded. Urúvion then came up behind his master and rested his head on the elf's. Saliva then came pouring out of his mouth and dripped down Norui's head. He gasped.

"Urúvion, have you been eating clover again?!" He pushed the stallion away. Cuilpantiel still lay peacefully with her rider. Legolas lay down on his side and kissed her nose, then wrapped his arms around the horse's neck. Norui watched them, dumping his canteen of water onto his head in an attempt to get the spit off.

"Legolas, I think you should marry your horse and forget about the she-elves at home." He chuckled.

"Don't you think that would be some funny looking offspring?"

"True." They laughed.

"I wonder if Espenshade made it to Rivendell alright." Legolas thought aloud, sighing.

"I don't know. If the girls don't find him, maybe we should go there."

"Yes, that would be good." Norui looked out into the distance.

"Speaking of them, here they come." Lothron came striding up, followed by her sister, with a depressed look on her face.

"No luck, I assume, by your faces." Legolas said. They nodded solemnly. "Alright then." He patted his mare's neck and she popped up.

"What are we going to do?" Melyanna asked.

"We are going to get him ourselves." Norui informed them. The two girls' eyes lit up.

"I call Elrohir!" Lothron shouted happily.

"Good! I get Elladan!" Melyanna jumped around excitedly. Norui shook his head in disbelief.

"Females." He scoffed. He leapt up onto Urúvion and Legolas leapt onto Cuilpantiel. Lothron and Melyanna had already ridden off.

"I wonder if they remembered the marsh." Norui chuckled. They rode to the top of a hill, laughing at the two she-elves leading their horses out of a pool of slop, covered head to toe in the grime from the marsh.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**There you go. Another chapter. The longest one I have written too. YAY! Anyways, I want to tell you something. **

** IMPORTANT PLEASE READ **

**The reason why I haven't updated in a while is because I haven't been feeling motivated enough to type up another chapter that probably won't get reviews. I put a lot of time into making this story and I thought it might get more reviews than it has. I guess I will continue posting, but it won't be done nearly as fast as it has been in the past. I know not every story is great and gets lots of reviews, but I can't help but feel this way. Thanks for reading.**

**Until Next Time, I guess,**

**Manwathiel**


	12. Reminiscence

**I have returned and I am feeling re-motivated! Please read and enjoy!**

**A/N: This chapter takes place a week after the last one. I know the time to get from the Gladden Fields to Rivendell would be longer then a week, but I don't really care. If I get flames about it, I will just grin and skip on past it. :D Hey, if you do flame, you might even a thanks for pointing out the obvious!! Go you!**

**Also, the song in here could be considered childish and doesn't really fit with the character's personality, but oh well. **

**With that said, read on!**

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Chapter 12- Reminiscence

Glorfindel creaked open the door and peered inside. The golden Peregrin Falcon, Espenshade, was still perched in the same spot she was left in a week ago. She glared at the blonde haired elf.

"Hello, birdie." He said sweetly. He stepped in the room with his hands behind his back. "I have a surprise for you!" Espenshade eyed him, suspicious of his intent. Glorfindel brought out from one hand a full rabbit. Espenshade leaned over and pranced. She wanted the food for she had not eaten since she had arrived, but did not like this elf at all. "Come on down, sweetie." He grinned, but the falcon saw through it. She eyed the other hand still behind his back. Seeing this, the Balrog Slayer placed the rabbit on a table and shifted his hands behind his back. He then held up the one she was staring intently at. "See? Nothing."

The falcon then glanced at the other hand. Glorfindel hissed between his teeth.

"I have nothing else." He said, angrily. She glared and hissed, then turned her back to him. Glorfindel yelled in frustration.

"That is it, bird! A week is long enough! You have kept me up every single night with your constant screeching! I can deal with Balrogs, but Peregrin Falcons I can not cope with!" From behind his back, he took his bow. He drew an arrow stuck in his boot and notched it to the bow. Espenshade saw this and started screeching frantically. "Prepare to die, bird!" He drew back the taut and fired the silver arrow at her, but it missed her by a hair's breadth.

All of the screeching and shouting had caused a young elf in the next room to peer in through the door. He gasped and bolted in.

"Espenshade!" The elf, that happened to be Legolas, called out to the bird. The bow slipped out of Glorfindel's hands and landed on the floor with a clunk. The Elven lord froze. Espenshade stopped screeching and looked over at him. He made a quick, sharp whistle and she speedily swooped onto his outstretched arm. "I have been so worried about you!" He stroked her backside and kissed her gingerly on the head.

Glorfindel snuck around the prince and his bird and ran off down the hall, disappointed he wasn't able to shoot the creature that had driven him mad the past week.

"What have you been doing? You were supposed to deliver this to Estel." He pulled the parchment off her and held it up in front of her. Espenshade grabbed it in her beak, chewed on it a bit, then hovered in the air. "It is too late now." He informed her. She made a whimper like noise, then perched herself back on his arm and hung her head. He chuckled. "It is alright though. I am sure you were doing something important." She called out happily to him as they returned to the Halls of Fire.

Norui stood with Estel by the fireplace talking of the occurrences in Mirkwood. Arwen clung to Estel's arm, listening as well. Lothron was sitting on a couch leaning up against Elrohir. Melyanna and Elladan sat back to back in a corner, whispering to each other. Occasionally, Melyanna would giggle and nod followed by a smile from Elladan. Glorfindel was in another corner, glaring at the bird perched on Legolas's shoulder. She hissed at him and Legolas flicked in the back gently.

"No hissing, Espenshade. It isn't very nice." She tugged on his hair gently and rubbed her head against his pale cheek. He sighed. "You are lucky I care for you so much, Espenshade." He sat down in an arm chair and shut his eyes. A few moments later, he began to sing:

_**Elrohir and Lothron sittin' in a tree.**_

The mentioned couple then perked up at the sound of their names.

_**K-I-S-S-I-N-G**_

Lothron blushed slightly. "Legolas, shut up."

_**First comes love.**_

"Legolas!" She shouted again.

_**Then comes marriage.**_

"Don't make me punch your face in!" She threatened.

_**Then comes baby in the baby carriage.**_

"LEGOLAS!" Lothron stood to make a move towards her now grinning brother, but Elrohir grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Ignore him, my love. He is only jealous that he has no one to love him." Legolas shut up at that and sunk down in his seat. Espenshade screeched angrily at the dark haired elf, but he only laughed.

"Aw! He and his bird are having a relationship!" All but Estel and Norui burst out laughing. Legolas turned red in embarrassment.

"Come on, you guys." Norui said, standing up for his brother. "You were once single."

"Yes," Estel added, "And no one made fun of you." Quieting his laughter, Elladan replied.

"That is true, but he has been single longer then any of us ever have been!" He continued laughing. Lothron spoke up this time.

"Face it, Legolas; you will never meet any one. You are doomed to live your life alone. All you will have is Espenshade." Legolas sunk deeper in his chair.

"Lothron! Leave him alone!" Norui shouted angrily at his sister. Legolas hung his head.

"No, Norui, she is right. I won't ever find the right one for me." With that, he stood and slowly walked out of the room, his shoulders hanging. Espenshade glanced at them all and hissed, then followed the elf. Norui and Aragorn glared at everyone.

"I hope you are happy." Norui scolded his sisters.

-------------

Legolas walked down the pathways to Lord Elrond's chamber. His head hung in embarrassment, his feet dragging. Espenshade circled above him slowly.

"My Lord Elrond?" He said, bowing to the Lord of Imladris. "Would you please show me to where I will be staying?" Elrond smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Legolas. Follow me please." He turned and took off down a hallway.

The two elves entered into a large circular room with doors all around. Elrond approached a door with an etching of the Awakening of the Elves and slipped a key into knob then opened it.

"This, my young friend, is where you will stay until your departure." Espenshade glided into the room and perched herself comfortably on the headboard of the bed.

"Thank you, my lord."

"You are welcome, Legolas." He turned and left from where they came. Legolas went into his new room and dropped his stuff by the door. He ran and jumped belly first onto the large, fluffy bed and buried his face into the pillow. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scents of the pillows when memories came flooding back to him.

_XXXX _**FLASHBACK-Approx. 20yrs back **_XXXX_

_Legolas raced down the spiral stairs of the elven haven of Imladris. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him through the many halls and passages of The Last Homely House. This was certainly a day he could not miss. If he did, he would no longer be able to live with himself._

_As he rounded the corner, he caught sight of the ones he was looking for. The Master of Rivendell stood with his three children who were clutching on to him, tears streaming down their cheeks. A young babe was cradled in his arms. Even the Elven Lord's shoulders shook. In front of them stood a beautiful elven lady. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as well. There were no words spoken between them, but the silence told enough._

_The lady was Celebrían, wife of Lord Elrond, mother of Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen. She was now also the foster-mother of a human babe, Estel. He was brought to Rivendell not two days ago by his mother, Gilraen, for protection._

_Lady Celebrían had just been rescued by her twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, from orcs in the Misty Mountains. Though she was grateful for their courage and bravery, she had nothing much more to live for. This day, she would leave for the Grey Havens, and then to Valinor, never to return. One day, hopefully, her family would reunite with her and together they would live in peace forever._

_Legolas slid to a halt and Celebrían glanced over to him and smiled. The prince smiled back. Once again, words were not necessary. She opened her arms wide to him and he quickly took the offer. He bolted for the woman he loved so much as a mother and wrapped his arms tight around her, a tear escaping down his pale cheek. The family smiled a bittersweet smile. _

_After a few moments, the lady backed away from the prince. He looked up at her, a pleading look in his eye, begging her not to leave, but she only smiled sadly at him. Legolas backed away, his head hanging. Celebrían once again turned to her family. No longer able to stay where they were, the three children ran for their mother and she embraced them tightly. Little whimpers and sobs could be heard. _

_Soon, they backed away, tears flooding. She turned next to her husband. Without thinking, he strode forward and placed a lingering kiss on her delicate lips. Estel whimpered a little, seeming to know what was going on. Celebrían broke away from her husband, who was deathly pale, and bent down to the human's level. His little hand groped out to her and grabbed one of her fingers and held fast. His chubby face was wrinkled into a frown. Though he had been with the family of elves for only a few days, a firm bond had been formed, never to be broken. She leaned in and kissed the little babe on the forehead. Estel lifted his head to meet her eyes and, when he did, never wavered. So little, so confused, yet still understanding. She smiled at him, and then motioned Legolas to come. He did so, tears still falling down his beautiful face. The Lady then took his hand and the hand of Estel and clasped them together. Legolas looked up at her confused, but she only smiled. Estel stared into the eyes of the prince and smiled. Now, some say that babies can't smile, but Estel did. And a big one at that, showing off his toothless mouth. The others chuckled solemnly at the human. The elf and the human were bound to be great friends._

_The guards ushered their lady onto her glowing white mare. She hopped elegantly onto the back of her steed and grabbed a lock of her mane. The horse remained motionless. With one last fleeting glance, she urged the horse into a walk and disappeared behind the gates of Rivendell, never to set foot again inside the realm she lived in peacefully for so long. The family turned to go back to their home, each one trying to comfort each other. But Legolas stayed, still staring blankly at the gates. Tears fell freely down his well chiseled face._

_It had happened. She was gone. The one he had always counted on. That was it._

_Gone._

_XXXX _**END FLASHBACK **_XXXX _

Legolas still lay on his bed, staring at the sky blue walls. He would always come to Rivendell as a young elfling and she would play games with him. She would always find a way to cheer him up when he was sad, but then that day came. She sailed away into the west. He had almost died of heartbreak and would lock himself in his room, reading to pass the time. The people of Mirkwood would rarely see him and some even forgot about their youngest and most playful prince. His friends abandoned him and he never tried to make new ones, in fear of them sailing away as well. This seclusion had caused him to recoil at other people's touch. He feared getting close to another. He was utterly alone.

With that last thought, a tear trickled down his nose and dripped onto the pillow. He closed his eyes and cried himself to sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**There you go! I hope you enjoyed it! I wrote the flashback just as I went along. I think it turned out pretty good! Okay, I get to respond to reviews! Go me!**

**kurafoxgirl- Thank you!!! Of course, I will continue, even if it only one person! That is what I have been doing for a while now anyways. I won't give up. This is just my first story and I can't help it. That is a good suggestion. Actually, I was planning on putting them in that situation later on! lol! Thanks for the motivation! I feel better now! Thank you so much! **

**Manson- Thank you!! I have let anonymous people review before, but I took that off. Do you really think that would help? Thanks for reading! (and for the motivation!)**

**moonshine44- Thanks for reading! Now, about them not worrying about their father. I do not emphasize on it much _right now_ because they are not sure exactly what is going on. You might think Norui would know, but he is not sure either. I state that in, I believe, chapter 10 that he isn't quite sure. But, later on, it will come to their attention and they WILL be worried. Don't worry, I won't leave it out! :) Thanks for pointing it out though! I will be sure to put more emphasis on it when it comes.**

**Turwaithiel- AH! You are going to do something to me! ::hides:: Ehehe, thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the chances. I think it makes it a lot better then the old version. That one was rushed. Once again, thanks!**

**THANK YOU PEOPLES! I am feeling re-motivated and ready to post more chapters! I guess I just really wanted to know people were reading this and I wasn't wasting my time. Gracias! Hannon le! Expect more soon! :D :D :D :D :D **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	13. The Night Before

**Hi!! I hope you liked the last chapter! I enjoyed it! Personally, I think it was one of my best! Here is another one for you.**

'…' **represent thoughts**

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Chapter 13- The Night Before

Legolas awoke from his dream filled slumber with a jolt when there was a loud knocking on the door. He slowly lifted his head off of the pillow and sat up. Rubbing his now red eyes, he called.

"Come in." The door creaked open to reveal Lord Elrond again. Legolas quickly sat up and straightened out his clothes in an attempt to look presentable for the Master of Rivendell. Elrond chuckled.

"I hope you slept well." He said, smiling. Legolas smiled sheepishly. Elrond chuckled again. "Anyways, there is someone here to see you. They say they know you, but I do not really believe a word they said." The prince nodded and sighed.

"Alright, let them in." He lay back down, expecting one of the twins or both to come and rub in some more humiliation.

'_But it couldn't be them. Elrond said that he didn't know who they were, so it couldn't possibly be them.'_ He furrowed his brow, trying to figure out who it could be.

He took the chance to steal a glance outside his painted glass doors and out into the dark sky. He noticed that the stars were shining brightly against the night and the full moon stood out.

Legolas then heard the door open slowly and he faced it once more. A familiar, and yet unfamiliar, voice spoke up.

"My Lord, may I come in?" The person asked shyly. Legolas noticed the voice was feminine and sat up. The door then slowly creaked open and a delicate face poked through. To his surprise, the person was not a male, but a female, and one he recognized.

"Jaimea?" He questioned, quite shocked. "What are you doing here?" He stood up and stretched, then made his way over her, yawning. She chuckled at the prince's appearance, and then nodded towards the falcon that was perched on the headboard still with a glint in her eyes. Jaimea then took out a crumpled up piece of paper and handed it to Legolas who then proceeded to read it. He smiled and then turned to the bird.

"You have been a very naughty girl lately, Espenshade." He scolded playfully, shaking his finger at her. There was a twinkle of innocence in her eyes. Jaimea chuckled once more. "Why don't you come sit down?" He offered her, shoving the battered note into his pocket. She nodded.

"Sure, that would be nice." He led her to the edge of the bed and motioned for her to sit, which she did, gratefully. He sprang up onto the bed and sat cross-legged on it next to her. They sat in silence for a few moments, when Legolas spoke up.

"So, um, what made you follow me?" He asked, twiddling his thumbs in his lap.

"I wanted adventure." She answered.

"Oh." They both sat in silence once more, shifting uncomfortably.

'_What to say, what to say?!' _Legolas pressed himself for another topic to bring up. _'This isn't exactly the most polite thing in the world! To ignore a woman!'_ He quickly thought of something.

"So, how did you know I was coming to Rivendell?"

"I went to the palace and asked for you. They gave me some strange looks, then told me you left, headed for Rivendell." Legolas nodded.

"I see." Once again, they sat in silence until there was a knock on the door. "One moment, Jaimea."

"Alright." He then stood and made his way to the door. He opened it and was met with a wide grin.

"Hello, Legolas!" The prince gasped, it was Norui. Legolas's heart stopped for a spilt second, and then he quickly slammed the door in his brother's face. Jaimea stood up.

"Legolas, what is the matter?" She asked, concerned.

"It is my brother!" He hissed between his teeth. The elleth crossed her arms across her chest.

"So? I would like to meet him." Norui pounded on the door as Legolas braced himself up against it to keep him from coming in.

"No, I cannot let him in here with you in here also!" He whispered.

"What is it going to hurt?" She asked him, annoyance clear in her voice.

"Everything!" He countered. Norui continued to pound on the door. Even without seeing it, you could tell he was near raging, thanks to his short temper he had inherited from his father.

"Legolas. Open. The. Door!" Norui shouted through to him. Legolas braced himself harder and winced when the vibration from a powerful thump streamed through his spine.

"No, I can't! I am not proper!"

"What have you been doing in there?!" The youngest prince panicked.

"Uh…Legolas is not available at the moment. Please leave a message at the sound of the beep. BEEEEEP." He could hear Norui growl.

"You imbecile! Don't make me bust the door down!" The Crown Prince yelled, unable to keep his cool any longer. Legolas turned to Jaimea and said in a hushed voice.

"Jaimea, hide somewhere! He is serious when he says that he will bust down the door!" The elleth shifted her weight to one side.

"Oh, come on, I would like to meet my Crown Prince."

"Why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged.

"I just would, is all. Every since I saw him for the first time as a little girl, I had wanted to meet him. I would have gone up to him then, but he was busy and I was too shy." Legolas tilted his head to one side, and smirked.

"Oh, I see. You were too shy." She glared at him. Another heavy beating against the door brought him back to the present. Legolas thought a moment. He had always wanted to please his people, even if he was never around them, but he feared of what his brother might think. He sighed.

"If I let him in," He started, "don't ever ask me to do a favor for you again." She beamed and nodded excitedly. Legolas rolled his eyes as she straightened out her clothes.

"Alright, let him in!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down happily in place. With another sigh, Legolas stepped away from the door. But alas, at the wrong time. Norui had caught the twins and Aragorn going down the hall and told them of the situation. At the very same time Legolas had stepped, they had charged the door. The force was enough to knock the door off the hinges, causing it to fall on the two elves on the side and the other four fell on top of the door.

The two under the door were pinned in such a way that they could not move under the pressure. They were on their sides, pressed up against each other and, to their horror, their lips touched very slightly, but that was enough for the two young elves to panic.

Legolas struggled to move, but the weight of three grown elves and a man prevented him from doing so. Jaimea's eyes were closed tightly and she was turning a crimson red. Both of the elves' hearts were racing. Elladan's voice then rang out.

"Oh, Legolas!" He chimed.

"Where art thou, Legolas?" Elrohir called this time. Estel groaned and shifted heavily.

"Could you three please get off of me?!" The elves looked down at their human companion and burst out laughing. Estel growled in his throat. Slowly, they began to pile off of the door, starting with Norui.

At the feeling of the group climbing away, Legolas was able to pull away from Jaimea and he absolutely erupted. He let out a yell rivaling that of a fell beast, making the other five flinch and cover their ears. The prince then threw himself out from under the door and sprinted into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. The oldest elves, not to mention the human, laughed out loud when they heard the youngest prince begin to pour water into the wash tub.

"I wonder what got into him." Norui questioned, trying to stifle his laughter. Elrohir clapped him on the shoulder.

"Who cares?! It was hilarious!" He remarked. After ending his laughter, Norui continued.

"A little weight wouldn't do that, though."

"What do you mean 'a little'?" Elladan asked, nudging Estel in the side. The human punched him playfully on the back.

"Shut up." Elladan then patted his foster brother's belly.

"I don't know, Estel, you seem to be getting a gut there." He said and Estel glared.

"I am not! If anyone here is, it is you, Elladan." This time, it was Elladan's turn to glare.

"Take that back! I am not fat!" Estel crossed his arms and grinned at the older elf. Not long after, the two ended up in a scrap on the floor, kicking, punching and biting. Of course, this ended up being a moment of laughter afterwards.

Norui placed a light foot on the door, but gasped and removed it quickly when his sharp ears picked up a quiet whimper coming from underneath of it. Forgetting their fight, the three Rivendell brothers turned their attentions towards the door. Elrohir took a step closer to it, but jumped back when it began to shift.

"Hey," Norui began, "Since when did your Ada get moving doors?" He asked cautiously.

"I don't think he did." Elladan said.

"No, he didn't." Estel added. They all stepped over the door, staying as far from it as possible. They stopped at what would be the top of door and Elrohir pushed Estel out towards it.

"Go see what is under there, Estel."

"Why do I have to go?" He asked.

"Because you are the youngest." He replied simply. Estel rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath.

"Fine, coward." Elrohir ignored the comment. With a gulp, the human stepped forward and knelt down beside the door, but paused. "What if it a wolf or something? The lump is big enough for it to be a wolf!" The other three just rolled their eyes.

"Estel, it is not a wolf. Just go and see what it is." With a growl, he peeked underneath the door and gasped. Quickly, he lifted the door and pushed it up and over into the hall to reveal an elven maiden. She had golden brown hair that was tied up in a braid and brown eyes. She wore what seemed to be riding clothes; a dark red tunic with black leggings and black boots. She was curled tightly into a ball.

Estel put a hand on her shoulder as the other three approached.

"Milady, are you alright?" Lifting her head from her protective arms, she nodded.

"Yes, I am fine." She said, shyly. Noticing the other three males, she brushed his hand away and sat up. She stared into the eyes of the males, feeling a bit intimidated. She then shifted her face to the floor. Suddenly, Elrohir pushed his twin to the ground.

"See, Elladan? Your ugly face just scared her!" Elrohir shouted at him, laughing.

"I do not have an ugly face! You do!" He argued with his twin. Estel just rolled his eyes again.

"Elrohir, you are twins. You look exactly alike which means you would also have an ugly face." Estel said, causing Elladan to laugh. Elrohir just scowled.

"You didn't think of that, did you, Elrohir?"

"Be quiet!" He crosses his arms and glared at his brothers. All in the room laughed, except Jaimea who was as embarrassed as ever.

"Aw, look! Elrohir is having a fit!" Estel said.

"I said be quiet, mortal!" Elladan then punched his twin in the arm.

"Don't call him that!" He shouted.

"Right, you prancing, little, pansy elf!" Estel agreed with him. Elladan then kicked the human in the shin.

"Elves are not pansies!"

"They why did I see you two getting your hair done?" The twins gaped.

"Ada made us do it for the merrymaking!" They said in unison. Estel just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, sure he did." He then laughed sarcastically. Norui laughed along with him while Jaimea still sat on the floor, looking confused.

"Then why were you wearing a dress the other day?" The twins both questioned him.

"Arwen was upset and I was trying to cheer her up!" He explained.

"Sure, Estel." They scoffed. He glared and clenched his fists.

"Be quiet, you princesses!" Norui rolled his eyes and sighed. Within moments, the three Rivendell brothers were at it again. They were screaming and yelling, pulling at each others hair, and doing anything that could cause pain to one another. The Crown Prince shook his head in annoyance and then knelt down beside the she-elf.

"Come, milady, let us go somewhere peaceful where we may talk." She nodded as he held out his hand. She hesitated, but took the offer. With a smile, he pulled her up and led her through the glass doors and out onto the balcony. Jaimea smiled as she took in the sight before her.

Before them, the great falls of the Bruinen gushed down, shimmering all of the way down. On the banks, two elves sat next to each other while a young elfling waded in the shallows.

On the balcony, two chairs were set facing each other. A glass table with a vase of flowers on top sat on the opposite side of the balcony.

Norui led her to one of the intricately designed chairs and gently helped her down, and then sat down in the other chair. She once again lowered her gaze from his glowing eyes.

"So," He began, "_Man eneth lín?_" He asked, easily slipping into the elvish tongue.

"Jaimea_ eneth nín, hir-nîn_" She answered quietly.

"Jaimea, you do not have to call me that."

"It is out of respect, Prince Noruion." The prince furrowed his brow and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.

"How do you know that I am a prince?" He asked curiously.

"I have traveled from Mirkwood, as have you." Norui smiled.

"Oh, well that explains a lot." She chuckled shyly, but kept her brown eyes averted from his emerald eyes. "Why were you in my brother's room? You did realize it was his, yes?"

"Yes, I did know it was his. We were just talking."

"Have you met before?"

"Once." She replied simply. Norui then stood and knelt down in front of her and raised her hand up with his forefinger slowly. Her eyes darted every which way, but never directly at his. He searched her face for any emotions, but only found anxiety.

"Why do you fear to look me in the eye?" She shifted in her seat.

"Honestly, I am afraid to tell you." Norui put his hand to her cheek and caressed it gently, staring intently at her pale face. Something about him made her suddenly break and tell him exactly what was on her mind.

"Well, there is something about you that is enchanting." She began, thankful the night was able to hide her blushing. "I don't know what it is, but I didn't see it in your brother. Your eyes pull me in. They are so beautiful." Norui smiled softly. Jaimea then finally lifted her head and locked gazes with the prince and felt something she didn't expect. "I also sense kindness in you. I did not think I would find such a thing within you."

"You are very kind, Jaimea."

"Thank you, Noruion."

"Please, Norui will do. I do not like my full name too much. Hearing it makes me feel like I have done something wrong." She laughed, as did he. Norui then took his original seat, pleased that he was now able to make eye contact with the she-elf. "So, you said you can sense kindness in me." She nodded.

"Yes. That is what I said."

"What do you think of Legolas?"

"He is nothing like you." Norui grinned.

"Then I am going to tell him that you hate him." He teased. Jaimea gasped and sat up in her seat.

"No, don't tell him that! I don't think that about him. He is very nice, but I don't understand him." Norui nodded.

"I understand what you are talking about. I have lived with him for ever and yet there are still some things I don't get." She laughed and he grinned.

"He is so mysterious, I mean. I have known him longer then I have you, bu eems like I already know you better. You seem more like an open person." He nodded as she said this.

"I understand. There are some things that even I don't know about him. He used to be very open about his feelings, but a very long time ago something happened and he has been very different ever since. I know not why though for he will not tell any one." Jaimea rubbed her chin in thought.

"That is strange. Maybe," She started awkwardly, "the loss of your Atara?" Norui shook his head in the negative.

"Possibly, but I doubt it. Many years past after her death until he changed."

"How does he act?"

"Around my family and me, he acts pretty much like his old self. Though, when he gets around others, he seems to lock up and then goes somewhere to hide in his mind. Throughout the years, he seems to have built up a barrier in his head where no one can enter."

"He seemed pretty open to me. He allowed me to help him." Norui perked up and his eyes beamed.

"Really?" She nodded.

"Though, when I tried to help him stitch a cut, he sort of froze and seemed nervous. I thought that he was just mad at me, but I guess not."

"Oh." Norui sunk into his chair. "I thought he was getting better."

"I am sorry." She said quickly, but he just waved it off.

"No, it is not your fault." He assured her and smiled. She nodded.

"I would like to see what he does."

"Alright, then come to the Halls of Fire tomorrow around noon. I have asked Mithrandir to come. Legolas has never met him, so you should see a pretty good example."

"Alright, I will be there." Their conversation came to an end when the glass doors slid open.

Legolas stepped onto the balcony. He wore only a pair of leggings that seemed to have been cut off and hemmed again a little above the knees. Water dripped down from the tips of his hair down his face and chest. Norui and Jaimea both stared at him and he froze.

"Did I miss something?" He asked, puzzled.

"No, we were just getting to know each other." He told his brother with a smile.

"Well, alright." He said with a shrug and leapt nimbly up onto the railing of the balcony. Evening out his weight, he rested up against the large column supporting it.

"Legolas," Norui began, "You do know we are going to talk with Gandalf tomorrow about Ada, correct?" Legolas nodded.

"Yes, I am well aware of it."

"Will you be alright?" At that statement, the youngest prince froze.

"Yes, I will be fine." He replied bitterly.

"You must pay attention. This is very important." Legolas then gritted his teeth and swung around to face his brother, gripping tightly onto the column.

"Norui, I will be fine! Do not pester me on it!" He shouted. Legolas then turned back into his original position with crossed arms and gazed out at the bright moon that cast only a small amount of light for its size. An owl could be heard hooting quietly in its roost.

Jaimea stole a glance up at the young prince. His golden hair brushed across his face gently in the light, nightly winds. Water still dripped down his chest and shimmered in the stars' light. She noticed that from her angle, his eyes seemed to glow a royal blue, flashing to dark purple whenever he blinked. She wondered how someone that seems so carefree could be hiding something so huge that it affects the way he lives and then being able to hide it so well.

"What?" Legolas suddenly asked her with a hint of anger in his tone.

"What?" She asked as well.

"Why are you staring at me?" Her eyes when wide and she turned away. She realized she had indeed been staring at him the whole time she had been pondering her thoughts. "I do not like the way you were staring at me. It angers me."

"How?" She asked and he glared.

"I saw pity in your eyes." He said, anger evident in his voice.

"I am sorry."

"I don't ever want to see you look at me that way again." He orde ly. "Do not ever feel sorry for me. I have nothing that I am ashamed of." Biting her bottom lip, she looked to his eyes to find they were no longer the warm, comforting eyes they normally were, but they were cold, steely ones that were seeping with anger.

"Please, forgive me, milord." At that name, his expression softened. He frowned as he saw a lone tear trickle down the lady's cheek.

"Jaimea, it is alright. I forgive you." She looked up again at him and was met with a small smile. She wiped her tears away and smiled too. Without another word, Legolas stared out at the moon once more.

Norui looked between the two, then stood and stretched, letting out a content moan.

"It is getting late. We should go get some rest so we are ready for tomorrow. Good night," He stood and then disappeared behind the glass doors. Legolas remained motionless. The two sat in silence when Legolas spoke.

"Jaimea, you should get some rest. I know my brother told you to come tomorrow. If you do indeed plan to, then you must sleep."

"I do indeed plan to come. So, if you insist, I will depart. G'night, Legolas."

"Sleep well, Jaimea." She stood and left.

Legolas still sat on the railing, staring into the darkness of Rivendell. His falcon, Espenshade, soared across the light of the moon, crying out solemnly. As he listened to the call of the bird, a tear fell down his cheek and dropped down the balcony.

'_I come here for peace, yet I never find any.'_ Tears then fell freely down his chiseled cheek.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**_Man eneth lín- What is your name?_**

**_Jaimea eneth nín, hir-nîn- My name is Jaimea, my lord._**

**There you go! Wow, this one took 11 pages! That is the most I have ever done! I'm proud of myself now! YAY! I think my description of Jaimea was a bit Mary Sue-ish though. If it is, please tell me and I will try my best to keep away from that horrible path!**

**HyperSquishy- Cute name! I like it! Thanks! Here is more for you!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	14. Any Volunteers?

**Hello, guys! Sorry I took a long time to post a new chapter. Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter. Here is another chapter for you!**

**P.S: This chapter takes place the next night after the previous chapter.**

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Chapter 14- Volunteers?

"Noruion, could you please describe what you saw when you were unconscious?"

Mithrandir questioned the Crown Prince. The children of Thranduil and Elrond, Jaimea and the wizard sat scattered around the Halls of Fire. The couples sat together while Aragorn and Jaimea tried to ease Legolas's discomfort who sat in the middle of a couch, trying to act as calm as possible. Though the shake in his arms made it evident that his attempt wasn't effective. Mithrandir and Norui were deep in conversation.

"Yes, Mithrandir. It was about the size of a man, but it did not look like one. The shape was like nothing I have ever seen before. It was hunched over and when it walked, I noticed the legs were bent in like a horse's and I think I saw a slight limp. On its hands, there were long, sharp claws."

"What did its face look like?"

"I know not. I could not see it for it wore a long, black robe showing only what I have just described."

"Anything else, Norui?" The prince nodded.

"Yes. It made strange noises. Sometimes it would seem to growl and hiss. Also, there was magic about it." Norui finished. Mithrandir took in all that had been said and searched in the depths of his mind, trying to find an answer to this problem.

"You say it had strange legs?" He repeated.

"Yes, much like a horse's. What of it?" Norui asked.

"But had long claws…" The wizard mused. He furrowed his brow in thought and pursed his lips.

"Mithrandir?"

The Maia then lifted his head, concern visible in his eyes.

"Norui, I believe what you have is one of the Muruién, Shape Shifters. But, by your description, it is wounded or near death." Norui leaned forward in his chair, as did Mithrandir. "Tell me, what magic did it perform?"

"A red shield. It kept me from getting near it."

"How did you get free?"

"I killed it." Norui stated proudly. Mithrandir pondered this, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Finally, he spoke up.

"Nay, you could not have killed it. There is only one way to kill a Muruién."

"And what is that?"

"You must destroy their king." Norui furrowed his brow.

"Well, how do you know that the one I killed wasn't the king?" He put emphasis on the word 'killed'. Mithrandir shook his head.

"The king does not possess the magic to create such a shield that you described."

Norui growled and said, "Well, then we should just kill their king! Simple as that!" Mithrandir shook his head, frowning.

"No, they are a peaceful race. They never harm anyone."

"Then why are they trying to kill our people?"

"I told you, young prince, it must be wounded. They are like wolves, or bears. They will leave us alone as long as we don't try to attack them. But is they are wounded, they will do anything to stay alive even if that means killing the people of Middle Earth." Norui slumped down in his chair.

"This sounds more like an animal then a person." He said. Mithrandir chuckled.

"No, Norui, it is a person. They can change into any being they choose. They hunt by getting inside their prey's mind, and then drive it mad until it eventually dies." Lothron shuddered in Elrohir's arms.

"That is sick." She spat. Mithrandir looked over at her and laughed.

"They have got to eat, milady."

"Yes, but can't they think of a more humane way?"

"Oh, that is not humane? Then tell me, what is humane, Lothron? It shooting them with an arrow and letting them die slowly and painfully more humane?" She didn't respond and rest her head against Elrohir's chest as he pulled her up closer. Melyanna then spoke up.

"Hold on a moment." Mithrandir turned his attention to her.

"Yes, Melyanna?"

"Does that mean that this is what is happening to Ada?" The four faces of the children of Thranduil, including Legolas, turned to face the wizard's grim one. He nodded once.

"That is correct, Melyanna. Unless something is done, your father will fall to the power of this Muruién." Silence and an uneasy aura filled the room. The four elves glanced from one another, hoping that each other would have an idea of what to do, but it never came. Norui ended it.

"Mithrandir, what are we to do?"

"Find it and destroy it."

"But it is in my father…and Glithiel…and so many other people!" Mithrandir shifted in his seat.

"I guess I forgot to mention that they can clone themselves." He said. Norui's jaw dropped.

"Yes, you did forget! How are we supposed to find it then! We don't even know where to look!" He shouted.

"They always stay in their land, never leaving it's area unless provoked." Mithrandir then smiled. "And I happen to know where this place is."

"How will we know which one it is?"

"There are two ways. One, it will look exactly like the one you saw. Two, it will know of our presence long before we know of it's. It will find us. All we will have to do is wait."

Norui rested his head in his hands, deep in thought. His siblings' gaze rested on him. In their minds, they made the decision to make him the one who decided ultimately what they would do and thought about their father. Worry grew steadily in their hearts. After a few moments of silence, Norui finally came out and spoke.

"Alright, we will go there. Mithrandir, I hope you will come along." The Maia nodded.

"Of course I will. Your father is a dear friend to me. I trust your sisters will come along as well?" Norui furrowed his brow.

"Yes, they will come, but you are forgetting my youngest brother, Legolas."

"Legolas? I have not yet met him." The spoken prince perked up at the sound of his name.

"Well, he is somewhat shy." Norui explained. Mithrandir laughed.

"A shy elf? And such a young one at that? That is impossible! I would like to meet him." He said, smiling and thinking that it was a ridiculous idea that an elf would be shy.

"Well, I, uh, don't know. He isn't very good around new people." Mithrandir gave him a confused look, causing Norui to sigh. "Fine." The wizard smiled.

"Legolas!" He shouted. "Come here!" Legolas locked eyes with the Maia and shuddered. Mithrandir chuckled and motioned for him to come over.

Not wanting to anger him, Legolas reluctantly obeyed and made his way slowly over to the wizard. He soon stood by his brother's side.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Legolas." Mithrandir greeted and held out his hand. Legolas just stood and stared at the outstretched hand. Mithrandir ed his head and Norui nudged his brother. The youngest prince slowly held out his hand, but when they touched, he recoiled quickly. Norui growled and shoved his brother away.

"I am sorry, Mithrandir. He is very polite and nice if you get to know him. But yes, he will be joining us."

"I have seen a more timid elf! I can see great pain in his eyes. Norui, what has happened to him?"

"We are not sure, but shouldn't we be focusing on the bigger problem, this Muruién?"

"Yes, we should." Mithrandir then stood and gathered the attention of all in the room. "Who else will go?" He called out to them.

The twins looked at each other and grinned, then stood.

"We will join you in this mission!" They chimed in together. The two then looked toward Estel, giving him a 'puppy dog' look. He rolled his eyes at them and nodded.

"I will go also." He said, then added. "But only because those four are my friends." Arwen then popped up.

"As will I. I refuse to let Estel go alone and I can not trust Elladan and Elrohir to keep him safe." The twins grinned at her.

There was only one person left in the room that had not volunteered yet. They all looked to that one person.

"Jaimea? What about you?" Norui asked. She glanced up with a troubled look on her face.

"Well, I don't know." Every face turned to her and she glanced around at everyone in the room. They all stared at her intently, begging for an answer. She shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of their eyes when, finally, she nodded. "Yes, I will join you." Mithrandir stood.

"Good, that makes ten." He said, counting off on his fingers. "Get a good night's sleep, my young elves. We set out as soon as possible tomorrow morning." At hearing something similar to a dismissal, Elladan and Melyanna bolted out the door. The rest of them nodded and left.

As they filed out of the door, they noticed that Melyanna and Elladan had not gone to their rooms, but were right next to the door. The stood in shock at what they saw.

Melyanna was in Elladan's arms, engaged in a fiery kiss. She was pinned up against the wall with Elladan running his hands through her soft hair. Her arms flew up and down the Noldor elf's back.

"Hey, you two!" Lothron shouted at them, breaking them apart. "Now is not the time! Ada is in risk of being killed by this thing!"

"What do you mean it isn't the right time? Of course it is! We may never be able to do this again, Lothron!" Her eyes widened in realization, as did the other lovers' eyes.

"Perhaps you are right." Lothron began as a mischievous grin came upon Elrohir's lips. She grabbed his wrist and they flew off down the hallway. Arwen turned to face Estel.

"Well?" She asked playfully. He smiled and slowly pulled her into his room nearby, closing the door behind them. Melyanna and Elladan left in a flash to seek out some privacy. Norui, Legolas and Jaimea were left alone in the hallway. The Crown Prince sighed.

"I wonder if Glithiel is alright." Legolas smiled sympathetically at his brother and put has hand on his shoulder.

"You do not need to worry. She is very strong."

"I hope she is alright."

"Sleep, it will help to comfort you."

"Thank you." Norui said and turned to leave.

"Just imagine she is asleep by your side." Norui smiled.

"That is not a problem." He turned the corner and was gone. The two left then turned to each other in silence.

"Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow, Legolas." Jaimea said.

"Yea, I guess so." The prince then looked towards the ground, lost on what to say.

"Well, good night."

"Noro go hûl, bado go Eru." Jaimea smiled at that and bowed to him, then left down the hall for her room.

Legolas watched her fleeting back and smiled to himself. He turned on his heel, then made off down the opposite direction. Espenshade swooped out of the Halls of Fire and followed silently behind the elf.

**XXXX**

**_Noro go hûl, bado go Eru_- Run with the wind, go with God**

'**Muruién' is not real elvish, by the way. It is just a tidbit of something I thought up. Has no meaning, just Muruién. Anywho…**

**What do you think of having a chapter in Espenshade's POV? I don't know about you, but I like Espenshade. She is my favorite character and will have a big part later on in the story. So just tell me what you think of that.**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I am going to wait at the most 2 weeks before I even start a new chapter. I am running out of things in my spiral notebook to post so I am going to force myself to write and write and write. So just hang in there and I will get a new chapter up when I can.**

**moonshine44- Thanks for reviewing and thanks for pointing that out. I must keep myself from straying down that disgusting trail. :shudders: I will try to correct that. If you can think of any, give me some ideas on how I could keep myself far from that evil lane of doom. **

**I hope it doesn't get too strange…or confusing…or anything similar to that. Feel free to tell me if there is something you don't get and I will do my best to straighten it out for you. I have a tendency to write strange things. Thanks again!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	15. Something Approaches

**I have returned! Muahaha! And I have lots more written too! YAY! Am I early? I think I am. I don't know though…With that said, on with the show! **

**A/N: I have a poll at the end of this chapter that I would appreciate you filling out for me. You do not need to, but I would really like it if you did. Thank you!**

**A/A/N: I am going to change the rating to PG-13 soon, but I am not exactly sure when. I will let you know when that happens.**

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Chapter 15- Something Approaches

Jaimea awoke to the sounds of horses neighing and pawing at the ground. Still not fully awake, she lethargically made her way to the window and stared down at the horses. She saw a tall elf with brown hair make his way over to one of the creatures and place his packs on its lower back. Not yet registering who it was, she then crossed the room and sorted through her closet. She noticed that some maids must have brought in some gowns and had put her tunic and leggings in the back of the closet. Subconsciously, she picked out a light blue gown. She was about to take off her night clothes when she stole another glance out of the window. Her eyes first picked up on that brown haired elf again, and then a golden haired one. When he turned, her eyes sprang open and she suddenly remembered what was going on.

_We are leaving today!_ She shouted to herself. Without even thinking, she flung open the door and bolted down the many corridors of Rivendell.

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Norui was busy loading up his stallion when the doors suddenly burst open. Standing in the door way was a disheveled looking maiden. She was breathing heavily and her face was flushed. She then turned to him and ran down.

"I am sorry, Norui! I did not realize the time and I-" She cut herself off as she noticed the prince slowly blushing. She furrowed her brow. "My lord, what is the matter?" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, it is just that you are not yet, umm, presentable." He responded, embarrassed. Jaimea then looked down at her attire and blushed as well. "Forgive me, milady." Jaimea backed away.

"No, no. It is alright, I will just go get ready to leave." She said hastily, then turned around and fled, quickly turning a deep red. The others who stood nearby watched the scene, amusement twinkling in their eyes.

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About ten minutes later, Jaimea reappeared outside. She had put on blue leggings and a light purple tunic that blew out behind her in the wind and the sleeves were belled. She stood for a while, watching the others hurry around, finishing up their packing before they left. She was about to go search for her horse when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist and tugged, nearly knocking her over. She snapped her head around to the person, but then realized who it was.

"Come on, Jaimea! We are preparing to leave and you need to get ready!" Legolas urged, still pulling on her. She jerked her wrist from him.

"What is the hurry, Legolas?"

"You should have been out here long ago!" He started. "We were thinking about just leaving you behind!" The prince then snatched her wrist back and pulled her towards the forest.

They stopped not too far in at a small stream. Jaimea noticed that her mare, Anfalas, was already packed up and stood next to a stallion. The human she recognized as Estel stood by the horses, feeding them some apples. He looked up when he heard the approaching elves and smiled.

"Good morning, Legolas, Jaimea." He said. "Finally awake, I see." He said to Jaimea, grinning. She looked down at the ground.

"I am sorry for the delay, my lord. It was not intentional."

"I know, but it is alright, as long as we don't have any more delays." He replied. Legolas then broke in.

"Well, this right here is a delay! We can not waste any time!" He shouted. Legolas then grabbed Jaimea around the waist and practically threw her onto the horse. She looked at him in confusion, but he just ran off. She then turned her gaze to Estel who smiled at her.

"It is alright, Jaimea. He is just very worried about his father as are his siblings. Besides that, he is just not a morning person." He said and she nodded. Estel then mounted his horse gracefully and trotted off into the clearing to await their departure, Jaimea following.

Soon, all ten of the travelers were gathered in the clearing before the bridge. The horses nickered and pawed at the ground, sensing the tension in the air. Norui sat tall in his seat, showing no emotion on his handsome face, but was facing much depression and fear in his heart. The two sisters looked anxiously between the group and the road ahead. Legolas showed no emotion, much like Norui, but even anyone who had never met him could sense much turmoil in his young heart. He didn't even flinch when Espenshade nibbled on his ear and pecked at his tunic. Mithrandir then sat up tall in his saddle and spoke.

"Now is the time, my young friends, when you are given the option to turn back. Once we leave the safety of Imladris, you must follow the mission to what ever end it may lead." None of them showed hesitation or spoke up. Their hearts were set on destroying this creature. After meeting all of the eyes of the company, he spoke once more. "So be it. This will be a long and perilous road, filled with unwanted company. Understand this, failing this mission could very well send-" The wizard was cut off when eight horses went galloping past him, the riders laughing as they went despite the current situation. If this was going to be a long journey, they thought, they may as well try their best to make it a good one and keep their worrying bottled up. Mithrandir shook his head as one falcon passed over his head, screeching with happiness, and eventually catching up to the riders.

"Are you coming, Mithrandir?" A voice called to him from behind. The wizard looked behind him and smiled. It was Norui. The prince slowly trotted up next to the old man and he nodded.

"Yes, my lad. You go on ahead with them, Norui. I know you want to." He said with a chuckle. Norui smiled and nodded.

"_Hannon le_, Mithrandir,_ le hannon a tholel._" The wizard smiled and nodded. With a kick, the prince galloped off on his stallion, quickly gaining on the ones who rode off before him, his brown hair billowing in the winds.

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Mithrandir trotted up next to the group of nine. Each lay scattered along the ground, seeming to be resting and letting the horses catch their wind. As the sound of the hoof beats caught their sensitive ears, the twins sprang up.

"It is about time, Mithrandir!" The two said in unison. The wizard came to a halt and chuckled at the two.

"Well, I, for one, am not too keen on tiring my mount early in the journey. It would be wise to take it easy for a while, and then we can push them." Elrohir snorted.

"Our horses are up for anything, unlike that flea bitten pony of yours." A small smile crept up on the Istar's lips.

"Flea bitten?" He mocked. "Well, we will just have to see about that!" He laughed, and then kicked his steed. "Run, Felaróf, show them speed!" The bay stallion reared up, then took off at an amazing speed, matching that of even a _mearas_.

The ones left coughed on the dust that was kicked up in the charging of the seemingly frail horse and rider. Doing their best to keep it out of their eyes and mouth, they leaped upon their horses and galloped off, laughing and shouting at the amused wizard.

Though they were closing the gap between them and Mithrandir, it was happening slowly and it seemed as if they would never catch up. Legolas then called out to his falcon.

"Fly, Espenshade! Stop him!" He shouted to her, trying desperately to control his laughter.

The Peregrin falcon cried out and flew high up into the air above the rushing plains beneath her. All, besides Legolas, stared in awe at the speed of the bird. They noticed she seemed to erupt in fire as she gained speed. They thought that she was flying faster then Shadowfax, the Lord of all Horses, could ever gallop. Within seconds, the falcon was flying right beside the wizard and horse with no effort. She wove between the legs of the speedy horse, causing it to enough to allow the nine riders behind him the catch up. Each rider past the Istar quite easily, laughing as they filed past him. The wizard shouted at them through his laughter.

"You all are dirty cheaters!" They just laughed and urged their horses on.

Once they had reached a fair distance from the wizard, they pulled their horses to a halt and hopped off, then led them to a nearby stream to drink. Soon, they heard the steady beats of the horse and turned to watch Mithrandir come galloping into the clearing with Espenshade trailing overhead. As he came to a halt, the falcon perched herself on the old man's shoulder. He quietly chuckled and scratched her head and she grabbed a lock of his gray hair and tugged gently.

Legolas patted his mare on the hindquarters, then made his way over to Mithrandir. He was not yet comfortable with the wizard, but he was able to keep his uneasiness hidden.

"Mithrandir, I am sorry about that." He said. "I should not have made her do that to you. Your horse could have been injured and so could have you." Mithrandir smiled.

"It is alright, prince, no harm done. It was just some innocent fun." Legolas smiled and nodded. Mithrandir then took Espenshade from his shoulder and held her out for the prince. As he reached out to grab her though, she ruffled her feathers and hissed quietly. The wizard furrowed his brow and Legolas froze in his tracks.

"Espenshade, are you alright?" He reached out again and she easily hopped onto it. Legolas sighed in relief and smiled. Espenshade then made her way up his arm to reach his shoulder, but paused when she reached his elbow. Suddenly, she gripped tighter onto his arm, digging her talons deep into his flesh. The prince cried out in pain, causing all of the others to perk up and watch him. Espenshade only dug deeper. Quickly, he swatted her in the face and she released him. Mithrandir quickly lashed out and grabbed the falcon to keep her from going back to Legolas. She didn't struggle to get away, but cried out angrily at her owner. Legolas quickly sat down where he was and examined his arm. There were eight holes in his tunic and blood was beginning to show through the material.

"I guess you should have tamed her." Elladan said with a snort. Legolas glared daggers up at the older twin, then stood and climbed into a nearby tree where he lay in a cranny in the trunk.

He tried to make himself comfortable, not caring about the punctures and the infection it could possibly bring. As he was beginning to take off his vambrace, he felt something sharp sit upon his leg. He glanced up and found that a certain blue eyed Peregrin falcon had chosen him as her perch. The two stared into each other's eyes for a long period of time. Finally, Legolas smiled at the falcon. She then bobbed her head up and down a few times, causing Legolas to laugh. Espenshade then looked down at his forearm and ed her head. The prince removed the vambrace from his arm and then rolled up the sleeve. The holes in his arm were still bleeding, but not as much. Seeing this, the bird then made its way up his leg and onto his arm.

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Legolas hopped down from the tree, followed shortly by Espenshade. The others noticed he seemed to be in a more perky and happy mood.

"What happened to you, Legolas?" Melyanna asked him.

"Did an enchantress visit you?" Elrohir added. The others hid a laugh.

"No," Legolas grinned, "I am just in a happy mood, is all."

"Sure, Legolas, no enchantress." The others laughed, even Legolas himself. Then Mithrandir stepped forward.

"Alright, young ones, we must travel further before we rest for the night. We are only a few miles from Rivendell and I would like to make it at least six more miles. This area is swarming with wargs. We must move on." He said. All prepared to gather their horses, when one voice rang out.

"But what about Legolas?" All eyes then turned and fixed themselves on the golden-brown haired woman. Realizing she had put all attention on herself, Jaimea reddened and turned her gaze onto the ground.

"What about him, Lady Jaimea?" Mithrandir asked her. She shifted under all of the gazes.

"Well, after what Espenshade did to him, I thought he might need to have it checked out." Shyly, she glanced over at Legolas who gave her a surprised smile.

"Do not worry yourself, Jaimea, it is nothing really. I believe it was because she felt used that she did that." The said bird perched herself on his head and pulled at stray hairs. He reached up and patted her on the head and continued. "Once we stop for the night, I will have someone look at it, if it comforts you." She nodded shyly. He smiled at her again, than leapt onto his mare with Espenshade still on his head. Everyone mounted their horses and were soon off.

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They rode on fore many miles. The nostrils of the horses flared as the crisp wind passed by them. The elves were completely content. They loved feeling their hair brush along their faces and they way they seemed to be flying. No one even thought about their mission, too occupied with the feel of the steady hoof beats falling beneath them. But soon, to their displeasure and the horses', they reached the camp destination that Mithrandir had spoken of on the way.

Before them was a huge lake with a willow tree in the very middle of it. The branches were long enough to touch the water and form constant ripples. The slight breeze would push the branches away to reveal a large grassy island. It would prove to be excellent protection from unwanted creatures, they thought. The travelers hopped off their horses, when Elladan spoke up after a time.

"How are we going to get across?" He asked. Mithrandir turned to him.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked him. Elladan shook his head.

"Oh, Elladan, it isn't that hard! Just use your brain!" Estel shouted at his brother. The elf scratched his head in thought, than shrugged. Estel rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He then turned to Legolas. "Would you be so kind as to demonstrate for him?" The prince nodded.

He took a long rope out of his pack and gave it to Espenshade, who took it in her talons. Legolas tied one end to a stump of a tree and the falcon flew across the lake and twisted the rope around a branch. Another rope was soon tied in a similar fashion.

"Thank you, Legolas." Estel said, and then turned to his oldest brother. "Now, we will just simply walk across." Elladan nodded.

"Oh, of course." He said. He then hopped light-footedly onto the ropes and quickly reached the other end. The others quickly followed suit, Legolas and Elrohir helping the wizard and human across while Norui stayed behind to bring the ropes back in and lead the horses through the water.

By the time they had all made it across the water, it was about an hour from midnight. The horses had been given the liberty to walk freely on the island. The travelers had made a small fire of dead willow branches and had wrapped Norui in blankets to try and dry him.

"Where are we heading anyways, Mithrandir?" Arwen asked him.

"First, we shall pass through the Gap of Rohan. From there, we turn south once more, over the White Mountains. The city of the Muruién is in the forest of Edhelland. It will be a trip of about 1000 miles." Her jaw dropped at his response.

"But that will take an eternity and we don't have that!" She argued.

"Nay, milady Undomiel. If we travel twenty miles a day, we could get there in fifty days."

"But King Thranduil will be dead by then!" She shouted. The children of the said king froze in their place. All in the camp went silent as the truth once more sunk into the hearts of those four.

"T-That means all who are taken by it will be dead too, doesn't it?" Norui asked. Mithrandir sighed and nodded once. The next thing he said quietly. "That means Glithiel will be gone as well." All eyes turned on the Crown Prince as a single tear trickled down his pale face. He wiped it away with a sad smile on his face. His siblings looked between one another, lost on what to do. The three went over to Norui and sat by him, and all four of them all ended up huddled together, tears streaming down their cheeks. The others could do nothing to comfort them, for they felt the same way deep in themselves.

It was a while before anyone spoke again. When some one finally did, it shocked them all.

"I was going to propose that night." Norui said. His siblings' eyes shot open suddenly and they sat up.

"You were?!" The three said together. He nodded. He stood and made his way to his pack, the others following.

From a small pocket on the inside, he drew out a red velvet box with vine patterns all around it in gold. He then opened it and revealed to them a ring with diamonds along the band and a ruby in the center. The three gaped in awe at it.

"If that is the engagement ring, I can only imagine what the wedding ring will look like." Lothron breathed. Norui sighed and closed the box and replaced in the pack.

"It matters not now. She will be dead long before we even make it to the Gap of Rohan." Without another word, Norui turned and leaped into the willow tree, out of sight.

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Each person unpacked their horses and rolled out their sleeping mats. Yet another fire was started by Estel. A circle was formed around it in this order: Estel, Gandalf, Arwen, Elladan, Melyanna, Lothron, Elrohir, Jaimea and Legolas. Norui still had not come down from the tree, but his mat had been rolled out for him so he lay between Legolas and Estel.

After much hesitation, Jaimea stood from her spot and climbed up the willow. The other eight watched her go up the tree in silence.

Norui had perched himself on the highest branch and looked out at the moon. It shone brightly and cas reflection down on the glistening waters of the lake.

Jaimea crawled out onto the branch he sat upon and placed her hand on his shoulder. He did not respond.

"Lord Norui?"

"Yes?" He responded with no emotion in his voice.

"Lady Glithiel will be fine. She is very strong physically and mentally. She will overcome what ever is haunting her." She assured him with a smile, though he could not see it.

"How can you be so sure?" He asked.

"Trust me, I can feel it. She is a very good friend of mine." Norui smiled, than turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"You sound like my brother." She chuckled.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Norui laughed the slightest.

"It is a good thing. In evil times, he can always find light in any situation. He may be holding a secret that affects the way he socializes with people, but it does not stop him from getting through any challenges he might face." The prince then turned back around to gaze at the moon.

"Then it seems that he has a better outlook on life then you do. You are still very young, my lord Norui. The pressures of life should not yet weigh on your shoulders." He turned around to stare into her eyes. What he found was a look of pure sincerity and care. Norui smiled.

"You are right, Jaimea. I have been acting thousands of years older then I should be. There is more to life then being Crown Prince." Jaimea smiled.

"I knew you would see it my way." She said with a playful tone. Norui smiled again and kissed her on the forehead. She blushed faintly.

"I never thought I would be kissed by the Crown Prince." He chuckled softly.

"Just because Lothron, Melyanna, Legolas and I are royalty doesn't make us rude and inconsiderate. I assume by your quick judgment that you have never spent time around the royal family before you met Legolas." She shook her head to the negative.

"Nay, I have not, and indeed that was my first impression of you before we met."

"I hope that that false assumption is gone now?" He asked, more then said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course!"

"Good." He looked out towards the horizon again, but furrowed his brow. "Something approaches." Jaimea followed his gaze and her eyes widened.

"You are right."

"Come, we must tell Mithrandir." He leapt swiftly down from the tree, shortly followed by Jaimea.

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_**Hannon le- Thank you**_

**_Le hannon a tholel- Thank you for coming._**

**Poll**

**Who is your favorite character(s) from this story? If I get responses, then I will explain why I wanted to know this. Thank you muchos!**

**Random Fact about 'Lost in My Mind' **

**(that will later on prove useless)**

**The name 'Espenshade' is actually the last name of an author who wrote one of many of the Lord of the Rings books. (not the actual books themselves)**

**Dark Elf- Thank you so much for the review! I was having a bad day the day I read your review, but when I read it, I felt so much better! I am glad you like it so much. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope to hear from you again!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	16. What He Once Was But Is No More

**Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening to you all! Thanks to the response to the poll thingy at the end of the chapter for those who did it! Mucho appreciated! I think I am going to wait one more chapter before I reveal why I did it so maybe I will get more responses for it. :D Anyways, here we go!**

'…_Italic…_**' - Thoughts**

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Chapter 16- What He Once Was But Is No More

The others were roaming around, preparing the camp. Estel and the twins were bickering about who should keep watch first and if it was really necessary. Melyanna and Lothron were sitting together, Arwen trying to comfort them. The wizard, Mithrandir, sat on the other side of the great willow tree, deep in thought. Legolas sat isolated from everyone else, having thoughts of his own.

Norui landed silently on the soft ground, searching around at all of the others before coming to his normal height. Jaimea landed silently, but without as much grace as the elf prince before her. Before continuing to Mithrandir, Norui locked eyes with his brother. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment. The Crown Prince was able to pick up on Legolas's discomfort and loneliness, so he turned to the maiden behind him.

"Jaimea, go give my brother some company. I will inform Mithrandir of the news." Without waiting for a reply, Norui whisked away from her.

Jaimea watched his fleeting back, and then turned to look at the younger elf prince. He sat by the water's edge, staring out in the depths of the lake. The water reflected the moon's light onto the prince's face and the crisp wind blew his golden hair over his fair face.

With a sigh, the woman slowly made her way over to the isolated elf. He didn't move when she came up behind him, but he knew of her presence. Jaimea then sat down behind him.

"Hello, Legolas." He didn't turn to her, causing the maiden to shift nervously. A troubled expression covered his face.

"Hello." He responded simply.

"Why are you sitting away from everyone else?" The prince shrugged.

"No reason. I just want to have some time to think." Jaimea nodded, and said nothing else.

'_So much for keeping him company.' _ She thought.

"How are the wounds on your arm?" She asked. Legolas finally looked over to her, giving her a confused expression.

"What?" Jaimea ed her head.

"Didn't Espenshade hurt you?" Legolas furrowed his brow in thought, but then smiled.

"Ah, yes, that. It is fine." He said.

"You said you would have someone look at it." She reminded him, but he shrugged.

"Nay, that is not necessary. They are healed." Saying this, he took of his vambrace on the wounded arm and then rolled up his sleeve. Just like he had said, the wounds were gone and the only thing left were but tiny scars. Jaimea's eyes widened.

"But you only got them today! How could they be healed already?" She asked, quite puzzled. Legolas laughed quietly.

"You will see in time." He replied, mysteriously. The prince then quickly rolled his sleeve back down and returned the vambrace to his forearm. Once again, the two fell into silence and the troubled look returned to his face. Jaimea looked over to him and studied the mask he wore. It confused her.

"Legolas?"

"Hmm?" He said, still gazing out into the dark of the night.

"Is something troubling you?" The maiden noticed that his face fell at that and he took in a sharp inhale of breath.

"Why do you ask?"

"You seem worried." Legolas sighed, and then slowly looked over to her. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, then let them drop to the ground and nodded once.

"Yes, there is something that unnerves me."

"Would you care to tell me what it is? Maybe I can help you." She said, reaching out involuntarily to touch his arm. The piercing blue eyes of the prince shot up to stare into her's with a questioning look. Jaimea gasped slightly and quickly recoiled, setting her hand back in her lap. Legolas looked from her eyes to her hands and then back out into the distance.

They sat in silence once more. With a sigh, Legolas spoke.

"Something is about to happen, Jaimea, though I do not know what. It concerns me greatly, almost scaring me."

"What is causing you to feel this way?" She asked. Just hearing him speak like this set worry and unease in her heart. The prince visibly hesitated.

"From something that no one is aware of for I have told no one." Jaimea motioned for him to continue. "It is-" Just as Legolas was about to continue, he was cut off.

"Legolas!" The called elf snapped his head to the source of the sound and found that Elladan had called him. "Come over here! You need to meet someone!" Legolas suddenly grew slightly pale and his heart beat quickened. Jaimea's eyes widened at his reaction and then placed a hand on his shoulder, remembering what Norui had told her about Legolas sometimes becoming nervous around new people.

"It is alright, Legolas. Your brother is here and you don't have to worry about who ever this new person is." She assured him. He turned his head to her and she smiled, thinking it comforted him, but what she got was the exact opposite.

The prince wore a furious glare on his face and he stared straight into her eyes. Jaimea gulped and cowered from his anger. He jerked his hand to her's on his shoulder and threw it off of him. He then stood up, positioned in an aggressive stance.

"I do not need your pity, Jaimea! I thought we have gone over this already!" The maiden looked up into his eyes, fear showing across her face.

"Legolas, I-I…"

"You are what?!" He asked, placing his hands on his hips. Jaimea searched his eyes for a moment, then looked down to her hands in her lap.

"I don't know." She said quietly.

"Then do not meddle with business that is not your own!" He yelled as loudly as he could without drawing attention to himself. With that, he stalked off to where the others were seated in a circle.

Jaimea looked out into the darkness, unmoving. She took in a sharp breath and bit her bottom lip to stop the impending tears, but to no avail. Silent tears slowly made their way down her face. She brought her hand to her face and wiped the tears away.

After a few failed attempts, she was able to contain her sorrow. With an uneven sigh, she stood, brushed her clothing clean of dirt and made her way to the circle.

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The others sat in a circle, studying this new arrival to their camp. Jaimea came towards them and sat down between the twins. She stole a glance towards the youngest prince of Mirkwood. To her displeasure, he was staring at her intently with a look of hatred and disgust. Jaimea paled and then looked to the grass, trying desperately to keep the lump caught in her throat contained.

What sat in the center of this group was a maiden. She wore a tight, pale purple gown with beads laced into a flowing white cloak. The gown hugged her body and hung in the right places so that all of the males in the group stared at her in awe. Even the lips of Mithrandir turned slightly up into a smile at the sight of this woman. The other females in the midst of her just glared in jealousy.

Laid across her lap was a staff with a slightly pointed tip. Fine vine-like engravings traveled up the smooth mahogany wood. Feathers of a hawk hung from strips of leather tied at the tip. Holly also decorated the staff.

Her eyes were a mesmerizing dark blue and she had dark brown hair that hung down past her shoulders. Her skin was pale and fair. There was only one flaw to this beautiful being was a long, but light scar that trailed from her left eyebrow down to the top of her cheekbone.

The companions continued to stare at this woman in curiosity and wonder. The woman took quick glances at all around her, smiling sweetly at some.

"Who are you?" Mithrandir asked. The woman then smiled at the Maia.

"My name is Turwaithiel, my lord. I have heard of your situation and I wish to aid you, for I too have suffered from the actions of the Muruién." Her voice was soft and kind, yet powerful as well.

"And how, may I ask, do you plan to help us?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Her lips then turned up into a small smile.

"I know where you are going." She said slowly, and then turned to the four children of Thranduil, smirking. "And I also know of a shortcut." She said. The four looked up in awe at her, not believing what she just said. She smirked once more, pleased that she had gotten their attention.

"What do you mean a 'shortcut'?" Arwen questioned her in distrust. Turwaithiel did not turn to look at the she-elf, but continued.

"A shortcut that will cut the time in half, giving your beloved king and father a better chance of survival." She then turned slowly to the Crown Prince. "And also for Glithiel, Prince Norui." The woman said, staring intently at him.

Norui's eyes widened and he struggled to keep the tears back.

'_How is that possible?_' He thought. '_The moat time we could save would only be a few days, and even that would mean a rigorous trip up the side of the mountain itself._' It was then that the human, Estel, stood up in an aggressive stance.

"How do we know you are not lying and won't lead us to our death?!" He shouted at her. Turwaithiel turned to face him now.

"It is your choice, my lord. You can follow me, or you cannot. The choice belongs to you." Looking around at the others, Estel sat back down on his mat, crossing his arms and glaring, thus letting his stubbornness show through.

She then turned around to everyone in the group once more with a deadly serious look on her fair face.

"What will it be then?" She asked. "Will you accept my offer?" Still giving her wary looks, the group moved together in a tight circle. Turwaithiel sat patiently, lost in her own thoughts. Whispering, the group began their decision.

"I think we should follow her." Elladan said.

"Yes, we should." His twin agreed.

"Are you mad?! She will bring nothing but trouble!" Estel hissed to his foster brothers.

"Estel is right. We should not listen to her." Norui said. With a gasp, Lothron smacked him upside the head.

"What is wrong with you?!" She asked him in disbelief. "Don't you want to save Ada and Glithiel and everyone else?"

"Yes, I do, but I think it would be better to decline her offer and continue on our way."

"But everyone in Mirkwood will die!" Norui was about to continue the argument, but the booming voice of Mithrandir stopped him.

"Enough!" The wizard shouted. They then turned to face the Maia. "Let us make this easy. All in favor of accepting Lady Turwaithiel's help, say 'aye'." The sound of all but Estel's, Norui's and Legolas's voice rang out. Counting off the ones in favor, Mithrandir sighed. "I think that settles it. We shall bring her along." Estel stared at the ground and grumbled. Norui shook his head in disagreement while Legolas just sat with a troubled look on his face.

"This is not right." He said. "She is dangerous."

"Would you care to explain, Legolas?" Mithrandir asked, raising a bushy eyebrow. Legolas looked up to the wizard and paled for he still was not comfortable with the wizard. The prince clenched his teeth and slammed his eyes shut, but for a different reason.

'_No! No, I will not let my timidity get the better of me this time!_' He shouted to himself in defiance. He quickly tried to gather his thoughts.

"I-I believe she is dangerous b-because something is telling me to be wary of her." Legolas looked over to his brother. He found that Norui was smiling proudly at him, a tear running down his cheek. Legolas furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side in confusion. He mouthed to him, asking what the matter was, but the Crown Prince only shook his head.

'_Why is he looking at me like that?_' He asked himself.

"And what is this something?" Mithrandir asked.

"Well," He turned to face Turwaithiel. She sat up against the willow tree, gazing up at his falcon, Espenshade, who was perched on a branch who was also gazing down at her. "It is Espenshade. She is warning us." His gaze lingered a bit longer on the two, then looked toward his companions again. No one spoke, until the twins burst out in laughter.

"The bird?!" Elrohir laughed. "The bird is warning you about the lady?! Ai, you need to get your head out of the clouds, Legolas! The bird can't speak to you." Legolas blushed out of embarrassment.

"She did not speak to me. I heard her in my head."

"Sure, Legolas, and then my horse will grow wings and fly away." Elladan and Elrohir then continued laughing all the harder as Legolas went even more red.

"I knew I should have kept my mouth shut." He mumbled. He then stood and walked over to Turwaithiel. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Well, what of my offer?" She asked.

"We accept." Legolas said in monotone. Her smile widened.

"Good, very good. We shall continue at dawn." With that, she leapt into the tree and was gone. With a sigh, the prince looked up into the tree where he met the gaze of Espenshade. The falcon peered down at her master and ruffled her feathers in annoyance, then swooped down onto his shoulder.

"I am sorry, Espenshade. It was not my decision." She sighed softly and stretched out her wings. "I trust you, and I also trust that you will get us out of trouble if it is needed." The bird flicked her head up and Legolas chuckled. "What would I do without you, Espenshade?"

He made his way to his bed mat and lay down. Espenshade flew down beside him and folded up her wings on her back. Legolas unhooked his cloak and brought it up over his shoulders and the back of Espenshade. He rested his head on his arms and soon fell asleep.

**--NORUI'S P.O.V—**

I swear, I am going to kill Elladan and Elrohir! Legolas was so close to coming back to the way he once was! But, of course, those two had to mess it up by making fun of him! If they weren't my friends, they would have been dead as soon as they made that remark.

When Legolas changed, the playful glow that always shone on his face diminished. As soon as it happened, I knew something was wrong. I always tried to make an attempt to get him to open up, but it always made it worse. I think that Lady Jaimea tried to comfort him, but he snapped on her. He knows that her attempt was innocent, I think, but that side of him took over and closed her out. I feel sorry for her.

When he was talking to Mithrandir, he seemed to panic, and I thought the usual was going to happen. To my surprise though, it didn't. I could see that same playful glow spread across his face and my heart leapt. I thought he was returning back to the way he was. But, no! The twins just had to make fun of him. Once Elrohir said that to him, my face fell when that beautiful spark of light fell from his face and was replaced with the usual empty emotion of loneliness.

Oh, how I wish I could both!

**--**

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Turwaithiel peered down from her branch in the tree tops. The group she would be leading still slept on their respecting mats. She noticed that the three couples lay close to each other. The wizard still sat up, but he still seemed to be sleeping. The Crown Prince was tangled in his cloak and his brother was not much better. The other female lay curled up in a tight ball using her cloak as a pillow.

Then her eyes fell on that bird. She glared at it.

'_That rat with wings is no good._' She thought. '_It will only bring trouble._'

The woman did not like the falcon in the least. It seemed to have a strong connection to the one it lay with. She would have to learn more about it. Yes, it was a magnificent creature, but would only be a burden.

But she was unaware of the sharp blue eyes staring back at her.

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**Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed it. **

**A Random Fact about 'Lost in My Mind'**

'**Norui' is the elvish word for 'Sunny'**

**Poll **

**(For those who do not remember and want to answer it)**

**Who is your favorite character in 'Lost in My Mind'?**

**F.O.L.O.T.R.- Thank you! I am glad you are enjoying the story! You like Espenshade, eh? Cool. She is my favorite too. I hope to hear from you again!**

**HyperSquishy- Well, now you know what was approaching and here is more! I hope you liked this chapter!**

**moonshine44- No suggestions? Well, I guess that is a good thing! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Turwaithiel- Here it is! Your entrance into the story! I hope you like how I made you. Thankies! **

**That is abou ! ee you all later!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	17. Battle Wounds

**Hello, I am back! Here is a new chapter for you! **

**Italics represent thoughts**

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Chapter 17- Battle Wounds

The sun rose, shining its bright light on the travelers. They marched on in an unorganized line, the younger ones playfully shouting and running, cutting the tranquility of the plains. The horses were given the liberty to walk free, so long as they stayed with the group. The arrival of this new woman, Turwaithiel, had seemed to have lifted their spirits quite a bit. She and Mithrandir walked together in front of everyone else, keeping an eye out for any unwanted company.

"Come, Legolas! Do it again!" Elrohir urged his friend.

"Yes, we need some entertainment!" Elladan agreed with his twin. The youngest prince of Mirkwood rolled his eyes in annoyance. Legolas had decided to show them all a trick he and Espenshade could perform. He would fire an arrow from his bow, pulling it back as far as he could, and Espenshade would fly with amazing speed towards it and was able to snatch it in midair in her talons, and then return it back to the elf. The twins had gotten such a thrill out of this, they made the prince do it over and over again.

"I have done it far too many times already, and you should be able to entertain yourselves! It is not my responsibility!" Legolas shouted at them, not even looking the two in the eye.

"It is now, Legolas! You were appointed the entertainer of the group." Elrohir said this time. The prince furrowed his brow and turned to look at them.

"Since when?" He asked.

"Since we said so." The younger twin informed him. Legolas growled and continued on, hoping to end the conversation, but he knew the twins well enough to know that they would not stop until they got what they wanted.

"Please, Legolas? We really want to see it again!"

"No!"

"Please?! Just one more time?" They begged. Norui chuckled.

'_They sound just like elflings._' He thought '_And if they are not careful, they are going to have to deal with Legolas's short temper, inherited from Ada_!'

After a few more moments of begging and pleaded to the young prince, Legolas finally stopped suddenly, his fists clenched tight. Reaching behind his back, he unhooked his bow from his quiver and took an arrow from it as well. The twins watched on in glee, expecting their wish to be fulfilled, but the prince had other thoughts in mind.

He notched the arrow to his bow and drew it back, preparing to shoot it in the sky. Just as he was about to release the arrow, he swiftly spun on his heel and let the arrow fly towards the two. Before they knew what had happened, the arrow had whizzed past them, missing them each by only an inch.

Lowering his bow, Legolas gave a smirk, and then faced forward again and continued on his way. Norui gave a cry of laugher as Elladan and Elrohir tried to grasp what had just happened, their mouths hanging ajar in awe.

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The companions continued on for much of the day. Nothing unexpected had happened, and all seemed to be going smoothly. They stopped a few times for a rest, but then continued on. Turwaithiel had decided to scout ahead to look for a good resting spot for the night. After much arguing and persuading, they all let her go out by herself, though they did not agree to it at all.

Turwaithiel ran speedily over the grassy plains, easily dodging the many rocks jutting from the ground. Finally, she came upon what she was searching for. Before her was a large mound of dirt, rocks and grass. There was a hole right in the center of it, like a burrow, and she quietly made her way into it.

She walked for only a few moments until she came upon a larger area littered with yet more rocks and the occasional bone. She continued on down another tunnel and this one also opened up. She stopped at the opening on the tunnel and looked into the room. Suddenly, sounds could be heard coming from other winding holes in the area and she smirked.

'_Ah, here we are. This will do wonderfully._'

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"What is taking her so long?" Arwen asked. "You'd think she would be back by now."

"Do not fret. She will return before you know it. She probably just had to work hard to find a decent shelter for the night." Estel said, trying to comfort her. She curled her knees up to her chest.

"I hope she is alright." She said.

"Listen to him, Lady Arwen, Lady Turwaithiel can take care of herself, I imagine." Mithrandir said.

As if on cue, the sound of heavy breathing and footsteps could be heard. They all waited and sighed in relief when they saw Turwaithiel emerge over the hill. Mithrandir smiled.

"Ah, there you are, milady, we were beginning to worry about you." Without saying anything, the woman suddenly collapsed to her knees on the ground. They all rushed over to her.

"Milady, what is the matter?" Melyanna asked, worriedly. Moments past before Turwaithiel had the breath to speak.

"They are coming!" She breathed.

"Who? Who is coming?" The princess asked. The woman looked up at her slowly.

"They are! The wargs!" She shouted. Almost as soon as the last word had slipped from her mouth, all of the males jumped into action. Estel gave a shrill whistle, and soon all of the company's horses had galloped over the hill to their respecting owner. They began readying their swords, bows or any other weapons they might have hidden on them, and then leapt upon their steeds. The women, excluding Turwaithiel, all huddled together.

"What are we to do?! We cannot fight!" Lothron protested. Her older brother looked down upon her from his stallion.

"Oh yes, you can, Lothron. I have seen both you and Melyanna make Mirkwood's head guard yield to you." He reminded them. Melyanna then tossed her hair over her shoulder, and then placed her hands on her hips.

"Yes, that is because we are so beautiful and we could make any ellon yield to us." She said with a mischievous smile. Norui just sighed.

"If you two don't prepare, then I will tie you both to my horse and drag you across the ground, letting the wargs bite at your necks!" He threatened, quite annoyed with their stubbornness. With a huff, the two princesses stomped off to their horses and doing as their brother had told them to do.

Elladan and Elrohir rushed over to their sister.

"Arwen, you will stay here." Elladan commanded.

"Yes, we will not let you risk your life." Elrohir added, but she just rolled her eyes and pushed through them.

"I can fight. I will not be left alone, awaiting your return, fearing the worst." She said. The twins followed behind her.

"No, Arwen, you _will_ stay here and wait. We will have it no other way." Elladan said, but she just glared.

"You are not Ada, nor will I respect you as I do Ada. I will make my own decisions." She replied, and then went off to tend to her horse.

Soon, all were prepared and on their horses. Turwaithiel had recovered from what they all thought was a strenuous run and was prepared to charge into battle with them. They could hear the barks and howls coming towards them in the distance, and a small dust cloud rose up into the darkening sky. They slowly started walking up over the hill so they waited on top of it for their enemy. It was then that Legolas approached the young elleth, Jaimea.

"Jaimea, will you be alright? Can you fight?" He asked worriedly. She sat upon her horse, her long elvish blade in hand. She looked over at him and nodded.

"Yes, I will be fine." She said quietly. Legolas nodded once.

"If you need any help, call for one of us, like Norui or Estel. They will come to your aid." He told her.

"Alright, thank you, Legolas." She said. With one last glance, the prince trotted off to be beside his brother.

Jaimea watched him leave, and then faced back out in front. She saw Espenshade soar through the air and perch herself on her master's shoulder. She sighed.

'_Please, Elbereth, watch over me._' She prayed silently. The sound of the approaching wargs grew steadily louder, until the horrible beasts could be seen galloping at full speed over the plain. Jaimea's eyes widened and she gulped as her hands shook with utmost fear. '_Watch over all of us._' She turned her attention back onto the Peregrine falcon and frowned. '_The bird is braver then I am._'

The rest seemed like a blur to her. She heard one of the others give a battle cry and the others followed suit. She couldn't tell who it was, for her hearing was muffled by the pounding in her ears. Soon, they were all charging down this huge hill, the horses crying madly with anxiousness. The others continued to shout and holler, but the elleth could only barely manage the strength to hold on to her mount.

Turwaithiel shouted to her midnight black mare and it pumped its legs harder and harder until it pulled away from the group. The wargs saw the woman charging forward and they licked their lips, expecting an easy meal. As she neared though, something happened that the ones following behind her wondered at, but they soon forgot, being wrapped up in the moment of battle.

The two foes collided with each other, the wargs jumping madly, trying to swipe the riders from their horses. The riders countered with their own attacks, slashing and occasionally mortally wounding the horrible animals. Mithrandir would create fire from his gnarled staff and sending them hurling towards the wargs. As the flames made contact with their dirty fur and spread over their body, they howled in pain, but they still kept fighting.

Despite the fact that the wargs seemed to be more determined then they normally would be, the cohort had the upper edge in the battle. A few of the wargs lay slain on the now blood stained grass and those still standing fought with amazing ferocity.

The glowing blade of Norui imbedded itself in the abdomen of one of the foul beasts when suddenly a bloodcurdling scream was heard. The group turned their heads to see what had happened, giving the wargs a chance to take advantage. They attacked harder, slashing and biting at the riders' legs and horses.

When Legolas saw who had screamed, all of the blood in his fair face suddenly left and he went pale.

'_No…_' It was Jaimea.

The elleth had been tackled off of her horse and was pinned under a large, black warg, unconscious. Its teeth were showing and it stared down at her, saliva dripping down its hideous mouth and onto her face.

The warg snarled and prepared to give the finishing blow to her when suddenly an arrow pierced into its hindquarters. It howled in pain and then turned to the one who shot. The elf prince sat proudly upon his steed, ready to fire once more. The beast growled and charged for him. As it neared, Legolas's horse suddenly spooked and reared. The warg slashed up at the mare's underside, causing mount and rider to topple over.

Legolas rolled out of the way before he was crushed and drew his two white knives. He watched as Cuilpantiel stood back up and cantered off, neighing frantically, and then turned his sights back on the threat before him.

The warg pounced. The elf ducked down, slicing its underside, but it didn't seem effective. It pounced yet again. Legolas tried to slice its neck this time, but the warg swatted its mighty paw against his ribcage. There was a loud crack and the prince was sent flying through the air. He fell with a thud, his head landing on a large boulder. Blood then began to trickle down the stone. The warg grunted and went back to his original prey, but Legolas wasn't going to give up that easily.

As the warg placed its paw on Jaimea's neck, Legolas quickly brought himself up again. Ignoring the pain, he sprinted forward. He leapt into the air and brought his sword down deep into the beast's hindquarters. It gave a pain filled cry and swatted at him with more strength, this time sending the prince into a tree. Forgetting its prey, the warg darted off into a clump of trees.

The travelers drove the few remaining wargs away and gave a cheer. They gave together to check for wounds. Estel then spoke.

"Where are Legolas and Lady Jaimea?" Norui and his sisters sat up at this, searching around with wide eyes.

"Legolas!" Norui called out, but he didn't get a response. It was then that the mare, Cuilpantiel, galloped over the hill with a gash on her belly. The mare of Jaimea followed behind her.

"Oh no…" Lothron gasped, "Legolas?!" She cried frantically. They all split up and searched for their comrades. It was Elrohir that stumbled upon Jaimea. He checked for her pulse, only finding a small one. Without saying anything, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her away.

Not long after, Turwaithiel had appeared again and stumbled upon the prince. He lay on his side against a tree, a pool of blood beneath him. Espenshade sat at his head, pulling on his ears and hair. The falcon looked up at her and glared. Turwaithiel returned it with her own. She then knelt down beside him, checking for a pulse.

"Mithrandir!" She called out. The whole group was beside her quickly. Elrohir still held the other maiden. The two princesses gasped and fell down on their knees beside their brother.

"Oh, Legolas!" They cried and they pulled him towards their chests, crying heavily.

"Lady Turwaithiel, what happened to you? Where did you go?" Elladan asked.

"Never mind that, young one, we must find a place to camp quickly!" Turwaithiel whistled and the company's horse quickly gathered.

Norui took Legolas in front of him and Estel took Jaimea. The horses of the two wounded elves followed obediently behind them with Espenshade flying high above, but no one noticed Turwaithiel's limp and the blood that trickled slowly down her thigh and onto the ground.

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The group rode on well into the night. The horses became restless and jumpy, forcing them to stop where they were. They dismounted in a group of trees, leaving Arwen behind to keep watch for a little while, and took the injured to be healed. Unfortunately though, they had been followed.

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**There you go! I think it was a little bit shorter then the others, but I think the action makes up for it (I hope…). Anyways…**

**--IMPORTANT PLEASE READ--**

**If you are interested in the ABC TV show, 'Lost', then do me and my beta, Sotui, a favor by reading her story called 'Lessons Learned Too Late'! Thank you!**

**F.O.L.O.T.R- Thank you! I am glad you enjoy this and I am more then happy to beta your story! :)**

**NIshelle- Thank you! Mucho appreciated!**

**Sotui- YAY! You like it! Thankies! Here's more of your character!**

**Storteller- Thank you so much! I am glad you like it! **

**Well, that's about it!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	18. What Happens When You Fail Your Watch

**Hello again! I think this chapter may be shorter. I just really, really need to get in the habit of writing more often. Sorry, guys! I am sorry if this one is a little late. I have switched to all academic classes now, so that means lots of work. . Also, I have been sick so that doesn't help either. :( **

**A/N: If you didn't notice, I upped the rating on this story to PG-13.**

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Chapter 18- What Happens When You Fail Your Watch

Arwen swung down off her horse and landed with a soft thud in the plush grass. She took a rope from around her pack and threw it around the mare's neck and proceeded to lead her to a stump where she would keep watch for a while of the night.

The group had decided to stop for the night and begin to heal their fallen comrades. The two had made few, if not, no improvements, so they stayed where they were. A comfortable spot, but protected only by a shallow ring of trees. Jaimea hold shown only remote signs of movement, but never woke. Legolas, though, showed nothing whatsoever, and this worried his brother greatly. They all had a hard time keeping Legolas's falcon from the two wounded ones. She seemed to want to be near them desperately for an unknown reason.

The daughter of Elrond halted her horse and began to unpack her. She threw the ragged bags onto the ground and sighed, pushing her disheveled, brown hair out of her face. Grabbing the rope around her horse's neck again, she clucked and pulled on the rope, but the mare wouldn't budge.

"Come, Gûlwen." She coaxed gently, but the horse didn't move a muscle. She made an annoyed grunt and looked up to her horse's face. Its nostrils were flared and eyes wide and alert. Its furry ears twitched every which way, searching for something desperately in the moonless night. "Gûlwen, what are you staring at?"

The elf turned her gaze in the same direction as her mount's but even with her elven eyes, she could not pierce the incredible darkness.

"I don't see anything." With an exasperated sigh, she began once again tugging on her horse. She thought she was making some progress when a terror-filled scream flooded her ears. Gûlwen cried out in fear and reared up, nearly striking her owner in the process. Arwen gasped and began to dash into the forest, forgetting her stubborn animal, but a dappled-gray stallion flew out from the trees, shrieking madly. She quickly realized that it was Elladan's horse, Kánolhûg. Four deep slashes were sliced into his hindquarters and blood oozed slowly out of the wounds. What frightened the she-elf the most was the sound of snarls, growls and he occasional twang of the bow.

Without another thought, Arwen drew her gleaming sword and leaped into the bushes. She ran as fast as her nimble legs could carry her, weaving in and out of the tall yet straggly trees. The sounds grew louder and louder as she neared her companion's resting spot and she urged herself to go faster. When she finally came to the clearing where they would rest, the sight before her was shocking.

Elrohir hopped off his stallion and stretched as the horse immediately began to graze. Before the animal could get fully engaged in eating, the elf swung a rope around his neck and tied him to a log he and his twin had propped up for just that reason.

"Do you think it was wise to let Arwen take first watch alone?" Estel asked to no one in particular as he tied up his mount.

"Of course it was, Estel. She is quite capable of managing it." Elrohir reassured him. The younger twin then went to check on the progress of their wounded friends.

Legolas and Jaimea had been wrapped up in many blankets and even extra clothing, both unconscious. Elladan sat beside the elleth, tending to her minor injuries. Fortunately, she had only acquired small cuts and bruises and would be just fine. Though in a lot of pain when she woke up. Her only major injury was a cut forehead and that was stitched up quickly and easily.

But the prince was a different story. After a careful examination, they found two ribs had been broken on his right side from the swipe of the warg he battled with and he might have suffered a concussion. Blood stained his golden hair even though the cut had been stitched. Espenshade lay beside him, nestling her head into the crook of his neck.

Norui soon joined his two friends and knelt down beside his brother, stroking his brow.

"Come on, Legolas," He whispered, "You can pull through this. This isn't nearly as bad as some things you have gotten yourself in to." Finishing up one last bandage, Elladan turned to the Crown Prince.

"Norui, don't fret." He began, "He will be fine in time. I have already tended to him. Now all we can do is sit and wait." Norui shook his head.

"That is not the point. I can not help but to worry for him." He said, gazing down lovingly at his brother. The Noldor elf just smiled.

Elladan finished up his work and then, with Norui and Elrohir, went down to join the others. A small fire had been built up and the sleeping mats had been put down. Norui sighed as he sat down next to his sisters.

"How is he?" Melyanna asked quietly.

"I am not sure. Elladan said he would be fine." She didn't respond, but only nodded.

"Did anyone notice what happened earlier?" Estel suddenly asked. They all looked to him.

"What? When?" Elrohir asked.

"When we went into battle, did you notice what happened when Lady Turwaithiel passed through?" They all though about it for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, the wargs seemed to break apart, letting her through. They didn't even seem to want to attack her." Norui said. Estel nodded.

"And then she just disappeared. She only came back once the battle was over. What do you think happened?" This put all of the companions into confusion. Where did she go and why? What was she doing?

"In fact, she is not here now." Lothron said. The others perked up and glance around their surroundings. Turwaithiel was no where to be found.

"Perhaps she went to look for _athelas_?" Melyanna mused. The others shrugged.

They were all broken from their thoughts when there was a quiet moan coming from off the side. All heads snapped to the sudden noise and sighed when they realized what it was.

Elladan hopped up from his spot, forgetting the recent conversation, and went to check on his 'patients'. He bent down over the elleth who was regaining consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and stared up at Elladan in confusion. He smiled softly.

"How do you feel, milady?" She didn't respond at first, busy staring at the people who began to slowly make their way over to her. She noticed the Crown Prince smiling down at her and the wizard doing the same. The human, along with the other twin, leaned over this twin's back. Off to the side, the two princesses were scowling at her, for reasons she did not know. Her observations were cut when the elf spoke again. "Are you well?" He asked. She slowly nodded.

"I-I think I am fine." She said with a raspy voice.

"That is good. Does anything hurt?" The elleth shook her head in the negative. Elladan smiled and nodded.

"I do feel sore though." Jaimea added.

"That will go away in time. It was probably from being beat around a lot like you were." She nodded slowly, trying the recollect her thoughts from her past experience.

Glancing around again, it was then that she noticed a few feet from her lay the unconscious prince of Mirkwood. Her eyes widened in alarm and she gasped.

"Milord, what happened to Legolas!" She asked worriedly. "Is he alright?" Elladan opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off from a growl.

"Alright! Alright! You think he is alright!" Lothron shouted at Jaimea. All in the camp snapped their heads to the sudden outburst from the oldest princess. "Legolas could die because of you! Unable to fight for yourself, he came to your aid and was viciously attacked by that warg!" Jaimea cowered. "It should be you on the ground, hanging by a single thread, not him! He did nothing wrong!" Lothron stood up to make a move towards the wounded elleth who began to crawl back, but was stopped by a hand in front of her.

"Peace, Lothron." Norui said quietly to his sister, "You know very well that isn't true. Yes, Legolas went to her aid and was attacked, but he will not die. He will just need time to recover." Still glaring at the cowering she-elf, the princess stalked away from the group, choosing to sit by herself by the fire.

Norui looked down at Jaimea, smiling sympathetically. Her eyes were glazed with unshed tears and her body trembled.

"Do not listen to her harsh words, milady. She is only worried for Legolas, as are we all. She is very close to him and wants to protect him at all times, though she does not want to le how. She loves him dearly. Do not let what she said get to you." He said softly. Jaimea looked at him and nodded after a brief pause. "Can we do anything for you?" He asked, still smiling. The elleth opened her mouth to say something, but their attention was captured by the sudden wild cries coming from the horses.

The long ears of the elven horses were pressed far back against their heads and their heads flailed everywhere. They stomped and bit at one another, trying to get free.

"What in Arda…" Melyanna mumbled as she stood to go see what was agitating the animals.

As she approached the horses, they continued crying and nipping, not seeming to notice her approach. She reached out to touch the flank of her own horse, but that only made matters worse. The mare reared, her legs kicking every which way in the air. The makeshift rack they had made to secure the horses broke from its holding place. All of the horses then bolted every which way, desperate to get away. The only horse that remained, still kicking and neighing frantically, was Kánolhûg, Elladan's horse.

"Ai! Catch them!" Norui shouted frantically. Without a word, all in the camp who were able shot up and chased after their respecting horses. The twins and their foster brother plunged into one end of the forest, but to the surprise of the others, they came running back quickly with their swords drawn.

"Estel, what is the matter? Where are your horses?" Mithrandir asked calmly, despite the situation.

"They have returned! The wa-" Estel never finished his sentence. Out of no where, a pack of ugly wargs leaped out into their campsite. Norui glanced around worriedly and backed up against the wounded comrades to protect them as more and more wargs poured out from the trees.

'_These are the same wargs we battled earlier…'_ He thought.

It seemed like an endless tide of the beasts as they emerged from various hiding spots. The pack appeared to have regrouped and had tripled in size. They circled the companions who now stood huddled together in a close circle around the ones on the ground. They would lash out at the group and snarl at them, but never made an attack. The travelers drew their swords and notched arrows to their strings as they created their own version of growling and snarling in an attempt to scare their attackers away, even Espenshade joined in on Norui's shoulder with her own hissing, but the creatures only seemed to howl in laugher.

Seeing that their display did nothing, they formed an even tighter circle and prepared to make an attack. Tightening their grips on their weapons, they were about to plunge into battle when something strange happened.

The tails of the wargs suddenly dropped between their legs and they began to whimper. They all looked to each other, wondering what to do, but they quickly laid down on their bellies, glancing around worriedly. All in the camp went quiet, even the previously frantic stallion of Elladan who now stood breathing heavily, still tied to the post. The travelers look on in confusion, when there was suddenly the soft beating of padded feet coming in their direction.

A jet black warg stalked in from the shadows, snarling and showing its yellow, pointed teeth. Compared to the other wargs, it was phenomenally huge and it looked to have a limp a hindquarter. When ever it would look at one of the wargs on the ground, it would growl and the other warg would whimper slightly and look away.

Jaimea stared at the warg for a moment and her eyes widened.

'_This is the same warg that attacked me!' _She thought.

Its face passive, the warg continued towards the group slowly. Not daring to trust the warg's, at the moment, seemingly docile temperament, the group began to back up from it and it stopped. All at once, the wargs surrounding them stood and began to approach them as well. They all raised their swords and other weapons quickly, but the black warg only snorted. As if it were some message, the smaller wargs hurriedly lay back down.

After a moment of staring, the black warg began to approach them again and, this time, they stayed in place. It finally stood right in front of them, its height allowing it to look directly in their eyes. Circling around them, its piercing yellow eyes stared deep into the nervous eyes of the people. It was about to make another circle around them when it suddenly stopped in front of Norui and glared.

The Crown Prince gulped and tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. In one quick motion, the warg pressed its wet nose to the elf's face and sniffed vigorously. Norui had to try hard to keep himself from trembling and showing his fear.

The black warg made its way up to his dark auburn hair, dripping its sticky saliva down into it. It was about to pull away when it suddenly froze and growled quietly. Norui's heart leaped. He clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the impending attack, but it never came.

"Norui," Melyanna whispered, "Look at what it is staring at." Slowly, Norui did as he was bid and opened his emerald eyes and turned his head, having to brush past the Peregrine falcon that still was perched on his shoulder, glaring at the beast. The creature didn't move when the prince did, but continued growling. Norui followed its gaze and his eyes widened when he saw what it was it was so keenly staring at: Legolas. Norui growled and the warg advanced towards the younger prince.

"No, you don't, you fiend!" The Crown Prince cried. He swiftly swung his blade around, but only managed to leave a small slash in the hindquarter that caused its limp in his frenzy. To his surprise though, the small cut soon expanded to a gaping wound bleeding freely and the warg howled in pain.

The spell-like atmosphere that once surrounding the camp was gone and the cowering wargs leaped up and sprang on the travelers. The stallion that was still trapped continued its thrashing and crying.

The horrible beasts bit and slashed at them in fury. The group spread out and viciously attacked the wargs. Even the creatures were surprised at the ferocity the people unleashed, but they were still no match for their bone crushing jaws.

Estel perked up when he heard the desperate cries of the still trapped horse. He glanced over to it and saw a smaller warg hanging onto its side, trying to get to its neck. The human quickly darted over to the helpless animal and drove his sword deep into the neck of the warg. It howled and fell dead to the ground and Estel cut the rope on Kánolhûg's neck. The stallion quickly darted off into the forest, still crying in distress. He then charged back into the fray to help his comrades. His eyes then lay upon his foster brothers and his eyes widened.

With one great swing to the side, the twins were both slammed into a large oak and the warg charged after them. Saliva dripped from its dirty mouth and clung to its chin, nearly causing Elrohir to gag. It prepared to leap onto them and the twins looked away from their death, but fit ell over suddenly. The two looked up and sighed in relief. A sword was lodged deeply into its chest. They were about to get up, but gaped when they saw Arwen run past, grab her sword from the corpse and continue to fight. Fighting away their shock, they grabbed their swords and ran back into the battle.

The group fought for what seemed like hours, occasionally looking back to check on the wounded elves. There seemed to be no clear victory yet, but that suddenly changed. The wargs abruptly stopped fighting and stared around at each other. Before the group could take advantage, the wargs took off into the forest, yelping and howling. They all sighed as they began to come together.

"That is the second time they have engaged us in battle and then fled. That is one strange pack." Mithrandir commented to himself.

"Well," Melyanna said with a sigh, "That was easy." Arwen scoffed.

"Yes, very easy." She said sarcastically.

"At least you weren't fighting the whole time." Melyanna commented and Arwen rolled her eyes.

"I am going to check on Legolas and Lady Jaimea." Estel said hurriedly and then vanished from the group. The others said nothing and began to check for any wounds they had not noticed.

As Estel approached the spot where they had left the two, ha froze and gasped. Jaimea lay sprawled on the ground in a growing puddle of blood, a sword held limply in her hand. This was the least of their problems now though.

Legolas was gone.

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**There you go! Once again, I am sorry it took so long. **

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Thank you! Can't sleep, eh? I guess you must be pretty tired then, sorry. Thank you for reading! I hope to hear from you again!**

**Laisen- No, you are not getting annoying! I love reviews! Your questions will have to be left unanswered. They will be told in time. :cackles: I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you! Thank you!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- Ah, okey dokey, Storteller. And I shall keep writing! Thanks!**

**Sotui- Ehehe. Not much of you in this chapter, but you are there…And I never got that hug! YAY! Thank goodness! No problem advertising. I hope it worked. :hint hint to the readers: Thank you!**

**Well, that is about it! Namarie!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	19. Golden Beasts

**Hello, people! Thank you for all of the reviews. This one may be shorter, but then again, that is what I have been saying a lot lately. Now, let us continue with the story!**

**A/N: Also, I was brought aware to the fact that my time transition in the last chapter was not very clear. I have been trying to think of ways to improve this to make it easier to understand, but I have not been very successful. For this chapter, I will just use italics to represent the fact that the part is going back in time. I hope it makes it a little more clearer. If anyone can give me an idea of how to make it better, please let me know!**

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Chapter 19- Golden Beasts

Aragorn burst through the trees and rushed over to his companions who were still taking care of other matters. He pushed through the brush, nearly tripping on his own feet, then slid to a halt at their feet, quickly catching all their attention.

"Estel, what is the hurry?" Elrohir asked. Estel looked at them all with wild eyes, before finally gasping out.

"Something has happened!"

"What, Estel? What is wrong?" Norui asked worriedly, stepping forward. The human didn't respond though. He just sped off in the direction he came. They all glanced between each other, before speeding off after him.

Not far from their camp did they see Estel stop and kneel down. They all came to sudden stop, eyes wide and mouths agape, when they laid eyes on the sight upon them, or rather, what wasn't there in one case.

"W-What has happened here?" Norui whispered out. He then turned to the wizard who had a troubled look on his face. "Mithrandir, what has happened to Jaimea and where is my brother?" The Maia only looked down upon the elleth, shaking his head.

"I know not." He whispered. No one moved from their spot, all staring at the bloodied Jaimea and Legolas's empty blanket.

"Well, we are not getting anywhere just staring." Elladan said, then knelt down beside the elleth and began his work over again. Elrohir soon joined him. One by one, each member of the group broke off to sit by themselves and think. Norui watched as Lothron glided silently up a small hill and sat beneath a large tree. With a sigh, he strode over to the princess, knowing full well what she was thinking.

Lothron was wide eyed but unseeing as she played with the grass beneath her fingers. She heard her brother approach, but she did not turn to look at him. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her on the forehead.

"I am sorry, Lothron." He said slowly and gently. She inhaled deeply and she quivered.

"This is all going wrong, Norui. This whole mission has become a disaster. Jaimea has gotten worse, Legolas is gone, we have no horses and Ada is probably near death now." Norui flinched when he heard what had actually happened, despite how many times he told himself that all would work out.

"Do not give up, Lothron, for we need all of the hope we can get. Legolas is strong and so is Ada. They will not succumb to what ever ails them." He assured, giving her a small squeeze and then he brushed away a glistening tear on her face. Lothron smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You are right."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Estel and Arwen broke away from the mourning group and made their way to a quiet, secluded place. They sat down on the soft grass close together and stared out into the night. Estel's hand found the elf's and they clasped together.

"What do you think we are going to do now?" Arwen asked.

"I am not sure. It would be very difficult to track the wargs with Jaimea wounded so." Estel told her and she nodded sadly. "But all will work out, some how. I know it will." Silence took over once more and the couple pondered their own thoughts.

Arwen suddenly jerked up and strained her eyes and ears.

"Estel, do you hear that?" She asked. Estel gazed out into the darkness, but sighed.

"Nay, Arwen. I have not the sight or hearing of the elves."

"Let us get Mithrandir." She said, then stood and ran off down the hill, Estel quickly in tail.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII

The group gathered up together in this grassy area and watched wide eyed as a large dust cloud steadily made their way toward them. They could hear the thundering of something beating against the ground, but it was still too far to get a clear view.

"What is it?" Melyanna asked, but no one responded. The cloud got closer and closer until they could see the shapes of twelve large creatures. One lead the entire group and even from the distance that they were, they could tell it was quite larger then the others.

They continued to stare out at this thing when a sudden high whinny filled their ears. All of the travelers smiled widely when they heard this very welcome sound. Soon, the animals were upon them and they accepted them with open arms.

"It is a miracle that they have come back!" Elladan said happily as he stroked his horse's neck. Somehow, the wounds that the stallion had acquired had healed up, leaving only faint scars.

Each horse wandered to their respecting owners and the master's stroked them lovingly. What surprised them though was that an extra horse was among them. Its coat was of a brilliant gold. Its mane and tail were both jet black and it had deep, black eyes.

The group watched on in wonder as this new horse trotted gracefully up to the Crown Prince of Mirkwood with its head held high. Urúvion, Norui's stallion, took one glance at this magnificent horse, then bobbed his head and backed away calmly from his owner and the golden horse took its place by the ellon's side.

Norui glanced between his horse and this new one in confusion. He whistled for his stallion and tried to move closer to him, but Urúvion never responded and the golden horse wouldn't allow him to move closer. All of the other comrades watched on from their mount's back.

The horse then locked eyes with Norui's, never faltering in the staring contest. The elf noticed a small glimmer in the mare's eyes and he set a hard face, then reached up and grabbed a fistful of the black mane.

"Norui, what are you doing?" Lothron asked with a sense of warning in her tone. The Crown Prince then leapt nimbly off the ground and gracefully landed upon the horse's back. She nodded her head and whinnied.

"You can not ride her! She is a wild horse!" Lothron hissed at him, but he ignored her and grabbed more of the mane between his fingers.

"Is this what you want?" He asked, though he knew he would not get a response. Without even doing anything, the mare started forward and turned to the others. They all watched him handle this new horse for a moment, until Melyanna spoke.

"Norui, we do not even know where to start looking." She informed him, "It is dark and we will not be able to follow the warg's trail. Plus, Jaimea is wounded." Norui nodded.

"Yes, I know. But I feel we will be able to find the wargs quite easily. The trail would be quite heavy with so many wargs." He said. Mithrandir nodded.

"That is true." He said thoughtfully. "But do we know the wargs took him?"

"Of course, we do! Where else could he have gone?" Estel then said. "Let us make haste!"

"Well, then!" Norui burst out, hope restored in him suddenly. "Let us retrieve Lady Jaimea and then set out to find Legolas!" Grinning at their friend's enthusiasm, the twins put their hands to their foreheads in mock salute.

"Yes, sir!" The two exclaimed in unison, then cantered off down the hill.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Within moments, Jaimea was set in front of Elrohir and they were preparing to set off. Estel and Elladan weaved their horses around, trying to pick up the trail. Once they had found it, they called out and Norui smiled.

"Come now! Let us hurry!" He cried. With a loud neigh, the new mare started beneath the elf and galloped over the plains, the others quickly in tail.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

_Legolas awoke with a jolt as his face slammed onto cold, wet rock. The first thing that he noticed was that his whole body hurt. When ever he would take a breath, a sharp pain filled his chest. Through his half-opened eyes, he could make out the blurry paws of the wargs that had taken him captive moving around him. He heard the beating of their feet disappear into the cave and then all was silent around him._

_He tried to think of what had happened, but all he could remember was when he was flying through the air from the blow and how terrified he was. He tried to place why he was so scared, but the painful throbbing in his head made it impossible to do so. He was about to try the task of sitting himself up, but something stopped him._

_He could feel a hot breath against his slender neck and it send shivers down his spine. He could hear the soft breathing as it made its way down to his back and he gulped, though it irritated his parched throat. Then to his surprise, a gentle, wet nose pressed up against him. It prodded him lightly, as if it knew he was injured. _

_Legolas dared to look back and he blinked a few times to clear away the fog over his eyes. Turning back as far as he could without being noticed, he saw in the dark a dirty, golden-brown warg with golden eyes. It sniffed up and down his back, raising his tunic over his waist._

_When the cold, wet nose made contact with the elf's pale, clammy skin, Legolas inhaled sharply and flinched. This caught the warg's attention._

'_That can't be good,' He thought, 'I felt the coolness of the beast's nose.'_

_The warg then trotted up to his face and sniffed his golden hair. Legolas closed his eyes tightly as the warg searched all over his face. He could feel his heart racing in his chest when he would occasionally feel the smoothness of the beast's teeth brush against his skin._

_But his eyes sprang open when he felt the rough tongue of the warg rub gently over his well-chiseled face. Legolas would not let this display lower his guard and he slowly buried his face in his arms._

'_This creature is acting like the dogs back home!' He thought, but that did not mean he trusted the warg. He tried to brush the warg away from him with his hands and that seemed to work well enough._

_The warg snorted and moved back to his torso and began nudging him in the side with its long snout in an attempt to roll him over, but Legolas prevented it from doing this. The beast snorted again. Determined to get the elf on his back, it knocked him on his side with its paw as gently as it could. _

_Legolas did roll over on his back due to the extreme pain that had caused him. Unfortunately, rolling did not help either and an even stronger pang of pain shot through his entire body and he gave out a small yelp. The golden warg stopped immediately and then made its way up to his head again. Legolas looked up at it, fear in his eyes. The warg, seeing that he appeared to be alright now, sat down at his head and stared down at him. The corners of its mouth seemed to be turned up into a smile._

'_But that is impossible. Creatures cannot make expressions. My eyes must still be cloudy.'_

_The prince, after much hesitation, began to reach up to touch the warg and it showed no response to him. Just as his shaking fingers intertwined with the creature's dirty coat, a long howl sounded from somewhere in the cave. The 'friendly' warg sprang up, its gold eyes staring into the darkness and its ears twitching every which way. Legolas looked on worriedly as the sound of their footsteps grew nearer and nearer to them. _

_The golden warg then shoved its tail between its legs and darted towards the mouth of the cave, but it paused and looked back at Legolas. The elf watched on nervously, waiting to see what was going to happen. It began to prance hesitantly as if trying to make a decision. _

_The approaching wargs growled and cried out once more and Legolas snapped his attention to them. When he saw they had not yet come, he looked back to the golden warg, but it was gone._

_Three wargs stopped at the head of the prince, one reddish in color and the other two were brown. Legolas dared against his better judgment and looked up at them. They bared their teeth and snarled. Legolas gulped. The reddish one suddenly leaped forward, slamming its heavy paw onto the elf's chest._

_All breath left Legolas and excruciating pain coursed through him and his head swam. The brown wargs stepped forward and grabbed his arms in their strong jaws, grinding hard enough for him to cringe and bite back a yell. _

_Before letting go, the red warg smashed its paw on his chest again. Still not having gathered his breath from the last impact, Legolas lurched forward and lost himself to the darkness once more._

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

The companionsrode on through the night. The moon was beginning to face, allowing the sun to take her place in the sky. Much to the surprise of the riders, the tracks were still visible and remained clear the whole way.

No matter how much they wanted to stop, only to take a few moment break, they could not. The horses would not stop no matter hard they tried to pull them to a halt. The horses would always follow this new horse that strode proudly in the front.

The golden horse was constantly pumping its strong legs to maintain its incredible speed. It never faltered and was always staring straight ahead. Norui noticed that he was not even controlling the horse. She seemed to know their purpose and where to go. This amazed the prince. He looked down at the ground flying beneath him. They were moving so fast, it made his emerald eyes water.

'_If only Legolas were here to see this.' _Norui thought, _'He would d it. It feels as if I was flying and he always said he wanted to fly when he was younger.'_' A small smile graced his lips. He closed his eyes and laughed to himself, feeling the crisp morning breeze stream past his face. _'I wonder if this is how Espenshade feels when she flies.'_

At the thought of the Peregrine Falcon, he frowned and stared up into the sky to find that the bird was absent. Normally, she would have been flying high above their heads, but not this time.

'_Oh, Legolas will kill me if Espenshade is missing!'_ He shouted to himself, then stared back out ahead with a determined look set on his fair face.

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**There! I am done! This one is definitely shorter, but I hope you like it. Not my best chapter, but oh well. I am very tired and I need to sleep! Here are the reviewer replies. Sorry if they are short.**

**butterfly-elf- I am sorry it wasn't done well. I hope the italics helps a little, but I will try to refrain from doing such things in the future. Could you give me some suggestions on how to make time transitions clearer? I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for reading!**

**Gemini969- I hope this was quick enough for you, but I have a feeling it wasn't…sorry. I am being bogged down with school work and it is taking its toll on me. I will try to update sooner in the future. Thank you for the compliments! They are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!**

**Lasien- LOL. Thanks for the two reviews! Good thing you will live! I don't want you to die! Here is your update. I hope you liked it. Not very action-filled, but it is an update.**

**Legolas's Girl 9- _Your_ hot elf? Oh, puhlease! He is mine! MUAHAHA! And YES, he is gone! Do you think I would actually let him be okay? Phbt, in your dreams! But thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**xnaya- Thank you for that! I love your name by the way, very original! Thanks for reviewing and reading!**

**Well, that is about it. Namarie, everyone!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	20. Into the Caves

**I'm back! Yay! And I'm on spring break, so that is another good thing:bounces: But before we get on with the story, I must say something…**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- I am SOO, SOO sorry I forgot to thank you in my last chapter! I was desperately trying to finish it and it was so late at night, I was near delirium! The words were literally spinning on the computer screen. I saw your review and I was going to type the thank you up, but it just totally slipped my mind. I am sorry! To make it up to you, I offer you a part that will come later in the story. Just send me an email or review with the name of the character you would like and a description, and I will put you in! Create anyone you want and I will put he/she in for you! I am just so, incredibly sorry!**

**I think for time changes, I am going to use these &&& to represent it. So, if you see them blocking off a section of the story, you know that it is going back in time a little ways. Sorry I can't think of a better way to do it…**

**Alright… here we go.**

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Chapter 20- Into the Caves

Morning had come on the grassy plains. A crisp, morning breeze cut through the air and the leaves on the trees made a quiet rustling as the wind blew through them gently. The wildlife was just beginning to stir from their slumber and could be seen starting their day. Though some had not slept.

The horses of the remaining company had finally came to a halt, much to the pleasure of the riders. Slowly, they all dismounted and stretched their stiff legs. Immediately after he had smoothed out his aches, Estel began to search for the warg trail they had been following all night.

The human knelt down in front of some bushes away from the group and examined the light imprints on the ground. He ran his fingers gently over them and a smile graced his lips.

'_They are fresh.'_ He thought, standing up. Taking one last glance back at his companions, he pushed through the shrubs and followed the path carefully.

The tracks grew deeper and more scattered as he followed them. Small trees and bushes had been trampled down onto the earth, signing that it was very recently that the beasts had past through. As he followed the trail, the sound of rushing water met his ears and he furrowed his brow.

'_There can not be any rivers way out here._' He thought curiously, but shrugged it off as he continued through the brush until he finally came to a clearing. His eyes widened and he gazed around in shock and wonder.

At the base of a towering cliff was a large, crystalline pond. A waterfall cascaded down into the water, and splashed up onto the rocky wall. The grass was a healthy green and white flowers sprang up every where from the rich earth.

Estel smiled at the surroundings, but quickly remembered his job and continued following the warg prints. They led him up to the face of the cliff, but suddenly stopped. He furrowed his brow and retraced his steps, but the trail always led him to the cliff.

He sighed and leaned against the rock wall, placing his head in his hands.

"Norui is going to kill me if I led them to the wrong place." He thought aloud. After sighing once again, he gazed around for a moment. His eyes suddenly rested on one part of the rock wall. He quickly knelt down onto the ground and fingered the tracks once more. He then noticed for the first time that they turned to the left and up a slope on the cliff. Estel smiled triumphantly, then stood and sped back to his companions.

The others were busy typing up their horses to the surrounding trees with a calm look on their faces, though inside they were full of restlessness and worry. Estel pushed through the brush, then gazed around the group until his eyes rested on the wizard, Mithrandir. He darted over to him and the Istar stopped what he was doing.

"Hello, young Estel. What is the matter?" He asked with tiredness in his voice.

"Mithrandir, I think I have found where the wargs have gone." He said quietly for only the wizard's ears, though he did not know why he did it. Mithrandir smiled.

"Good, very good. Let us make haste." He said, then quickly finished taking care of his horse. "Inform the others." The human nodded then ran off to do just that.

Within moments, the whole company was gathered at the base of the rocky wall. Elrohir was forced to stay behind to watch after the still unconscious Jaimea, though not without much arguing. Slowly and silently, the group climbed the rocky slope with Estel leading the way.

After a little while of climbing, Elladan suddenly growled.

"Where are we going anyway?" He asked, annoyed, "Look, the path ends at the waterfall! It is a dead end!" Estel opened his mouth to turn on his brother, but Norui beat him to it.

"Elladan, this is the right way. I know it is. Have faith in your brother's tracking skills." He said monotonously. Elladan grumbled again.

"Yes," Melyanna said, "Do not worry. I, too, feel that this is the right way." Elladan looked over at her and smiled. She smiled back, then continued the climb.

Once the reached the top, they found that a gap was broken into the trail. The rushing waters of the waterfall fell down between that, cutting off their path. Some of them had discouraged faces, but the others were not going to give up that easily. Estel stood up carefully, then launched himself suddenly into the water. The others waited for his call and they smiled when it finally came. Norui stood from his spot and leapt nimbly through the wall of water. Together, Estel and Norui helped their companions as they jumped through.

Once they had all reached the other side, they saw that the path stopped and the mouth of a large cave was before them. They trudged in without another thought. After traveling a little ways, the only sound that filled their ears was the constant dripping of water. The ground was slippery and rough, making it hard for even the elves to keep their balance. There was no light to show them the way so they had to rely on their senses to keep them going.

Arwen glanced around and sighed.

"I don't see anything." She said.

"Neither do I." Estel said, beginning to think that his tracking skills did fail him this time. Norui stopped suddenly and turned to face them.

"Legolas is here, I know he is. I can feel it."

"Then where is he? We just seem to be walking to nowhere." Elladan spoke up. He was becoming tense due to the elve's natural dislike of caves. Norui ignored him and faced forward again, continuing the trek through the unnerving darkness.

The tunnel stretched on and on, but the darkness seemed to lift a small bit, much to the pleasure of the company. The passageway suddenly opened up and they all froze.

They had come across a large cavern. Sparkling stalactites littered the cave's roof, some looking to be hundreds of years old. The occasional drop of water would fall down from the tip, disrupting the mirage on the shallow water in waves of ripples. Light streamed down in some places of the room and they all smiled for the daylight once again.

Norui stepped forward carefully, watching his feet as he took his steps, and the group followed slowly. His two sisters came up next to him and he smiled at them. The sixth sense he had for his brother was also running through Lothron and Melyanna.

As they continued their search, they gazed around in awe at their surroundings. Even the elves had to marvel at its beauty. So entranced by the cave, they barely noticed the sudden low growling that came from another tunnel deep in the shadows. Their senses heightened suddenly and they drew their swords, ready for anything that they may come across. They then strode down this tunnel with alert eyes and ears.

Once again, they found themselves in another stalactite filled room, though it did not match the previous room's splendor. They stealthily darted across the room to hide behind a large boulder in the middle where they could spy around without being noticed. The first thing that caught their attention was a dirty piece of cloth in the shadow snagged on a stalagmite. After scanning the area to be sure nothing was approaching, the Crown Prince left his hiding spot to inspect the material.

Norui crouched down and fingered it. He slowly pulled it off the stalagmite and studied it. Dried blood stained it all over and was torn in numerous places. His heart leapt when he realized clearly what it was. It wasn't just cloth, but a tunic; Legolas's tunic.

Not wanting to discourage the others, he swung his pack off his shoulders and quickly shoved the tunic inside. He choked back a lump in his throat and quivered. He stood as he tried to keep his emotions back, but stopped when a hot breath trailed down his neck and he froze, eyes widened. Something wet and warm dripped onto his neck and rolled down his back and his breath caught in his throat.

Norui's emerald eyes met those of his companions which were filled with panic and worry. He saw Estel and Elladan begin to come forward, but he shook his head. They frowned, then reluctantly went back behind the boulder.

The prince turned his gaze to the floor as his grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. The stench of the beast's breath was unbearable and Norui had to fight back the bile that was creeping up his throat. He tried to calm himself as he stared hard at the floor, waiting for the right moment.

The rattling of a kicked stone sliding across the floor caught the warg's attention and Norui smiled. In one swift motion, Norui swung his blade and it impaled it deeply into the warg's back before the creature even realized it. Without a noise, the warg fell to the side, its eyes rolled into its head and blood dripping from its mouth.

Norui sighed, trying to brush off the adrenaline that flowed through his body. He ran his hand through his hair then glanced back down at the sword embedded in the creature. With a grunt, he withdrew the blade and wiped the blood off on his leggings. He was about to return to his comrades, but the soft sound of shuffling feet reached his ears. His wide eyes darted ever which way, searching for the approaching creatures. Finally, he spotted them making their way out of yet another tunnel in the spacious cavern.

The whole remainder of the pack that they had been tracking all through the night strode forward. Norui noticed that even the black warg that had tried to get to Legolas was there, but was limping heavily on its back leg. He prayed that the shadows would hide him and they wouldn't notice him as he watched the wargs trail out. Two reddish-brown wargs came out of the tunnel, carrying something in their jaws. Norui strained his eyes to see what it was, but soon his face fell.

'_Legolas!'_ He screamed in his mind.

The young prince was being dragged by his wrists in the wargs' mouths, unconscious. His face was covered in large bruises and cuts. Blood trailed down his chin from a split lip, but this was minor compared to what his torso looked like.

His chest sported a deep gash all of the way across. The wound was an angry red in color, but that was not all. His abdomen had the same kind of slashes, though not as deep, but looked to be near infection. His whole body was a deathly pale and his chest never rose to indicate he was breathing.

Norui paled and his whole body went numb. Everything around him seemed to disappear and all he could see was his helpless brother being dragged across the jagged, rocky floor; surely making his back an utter mess as well. Despite his better judgment, he screamed.

"Legolas!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Once again, the youngest prince found himself thrown onto the ground and was dripping wet. He could hear the wargs pacing around him anxiously. His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he tried to blink away the mist in his eyes. After a few moments, he decided to risk sitting up, for the wargs seemed in no hurry killing him, but he stopped suddenly.

A blinding light flashed through the small area. Legolas clenched his eyes shut and buried his face in his arms, trying to hide from the painful light. There was a sharp crack and then everything seemed to slow. The light began to disappear and the prince sighed with difficulty. He heard light foot steps coming towards him and he lifted his head hesitantly.

Before him stood a tall being with long, black hair. Her face was marred with scars and abrasions, giving her a look of malice. She wore an elaborate, black gown with a flowing cloak of the same color. Legolas's eyes widened in fear as her icy, gray eyes pierced into his.

She would not let him leave her gaze, no matter how hard he tried. The being smirked then, and Legolas's eyes rolled into his head and he fell into the void of darkness once again.

With a sigh, she turned her gaze from the unconscious prince to the wargs. The beasts watched her expectantly and she rolled her eyes, turning away from them to sit upon a rocky perch in the back of the small room.

"Devour him." She said in a soft yet evil tone. The wargs growled and charged for the prince. They slashed at him at first, but that did not last long. In their race for food, their aggression increased and they found themselves fighting amongst each other. The person on the throne rolled her eyes again and rested her head in her palm.

'_Stupid beasts.'_ She thought, annoyed. Suddenly, she perked up, as did the other wargs. She stood from her throne and gazed around. A moment later, her once confused face turned into one of anger and hatred.

"There are here."

The wargs began to paw at the ground and growl deep in their throats. They glared around at each other, forgetting their previous fight and the elf that sat before them. The person stepped down towards them with her fists clenched.

"Take him." She commanded. The two reddish-brown wargs that carried him before picked him up in their jaws again. Another flash and a crack filled the room. Soon, the black warg led its pack out into the labyrinth of passages with Legolas dragging behind them.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

**There we go! Another chapter. This one is a lot shorter then the other ones I think, though. I hope it is still enough for you. It just seemed like a good place to stop. **

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- You are first today because I am NOT going to forget you again:punches self for the stupid mistake: Thank you! I am flattered. I hope to you continue to read and I hope I don't disappoint you. Remember to tell me what you would like your character to be like. Just get my email at my bio page. :) Thanks again!**

**Eowyn White Lady of Rohan- Ooh, you defy your Ada's orders! Bad! lol. Thank you for your review, mellon-nîn! **

**Lasien- Your name in English? Hmm, well, I am not sure, but I think it is something like Daughter of Leaves. Something along those lines. :shrugs: I'm no master at elvish, though I wish I was…I'm glad you liked the chapter! Here is more for you!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- LOL. You wanna share the brothers? Hmm, well, alright. :hands her a big basket full of food, toys, clothing, etc.: Here is all of Norui's stuff. He is very picky when it comes to eating, and he has to have all of his clothes dry cleaned otherwise they chafe his skin. Oh, speaking of skin, he has this special body wash that he always uses, otherwise he won't wash. He needs lots and lots of attention so make sure he gets that!...Thank you for reading and take good care of Norui! **

**Sotui- Mae govannen, mellon! Manen nalyë? Im maer. Hannon le! **

**Wandering Star- Thank you for reading! I hope you catch up soon, since you read chapter one only…Thanks again! **

**Okay! I better not have forgotten anyone again! If I did, I give you permission to beat my senseless with random objects. Namárië!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	21. Power of the Falcon

**Hello! I am back! I hope I didn't take too long…I think I did though. Sorry. But anywho, let us see what our elves/man/wizard are up to! **

**A/N: There will be one thing in here that some of you might seem quite strange. I ask you not to think that it is stupid or farfetched for it will explain itself in time. Thank you! Now you can read on!**

**XXXXXXXX**

Chapter 21- Power of the Falcon

"Legolas!" Norui cried out, "No!"

The wargs turned to the sudden outburst and began to snarl at the intruder. The Crown Prince didn't care, though. He stood up from his crouch with a deadly gleam in his eye. The beasts glared at the elf and slowly began to approach him. The others behind the rock gazed between the two sides, not wanting to be seen but not wanting their friend to be killed either.

"Norui, get back here!" Melyanna hissed loud enough so only her brother's sharp ears could hear it but it went ignored. The wargs suddenly gave way and the black warg came out in front, baring its yellow teeth. Saliva dripped out of its mouth and mingled with the dried blood on its chin. It growled lowly at Norui but he only glared as he drew his blade.

"_Lanta linte, raug._" He spat. The beast snorted and then charged for the prince. Norui grinded his teeth and tightened his grip on the long, elvish blade. The warg closed the gap between them quickly and it leaped. Norui lunged forward and swung his blade against the tough, furry hide of the beast with a cry. The warg yelped and landed on its feet, but quickly continued the fight.

"Norui, you fool!" Lothron shouted. The wargs watching their own fight against the elf snapped their heads toward the others. Lothron gasped, eyes wide, and slapped her hand over her mouth. The beasts growled and ran for the group. Without a second thought, they came out from their hiding spot and met them in battle.

Blades twirled and bows sung as the wargs and travelers battled for the elf that lay wounded. Blood dripped off the edges of the swords and they dug deep into the bodies of the wargs. The creatures lashed out with their powerful paws, causing quite a few cuts and bruises. Howls and cries echoed out of the caves until finally the group was able to kill off many of the foul beasts. Like they had done twice before, the wargs made for the ending of the cave and fled, howling and yelping. Only one warg remained; the black leader.

The seven companions had the warg cornered. They had their swords and knives raised to strike. It growled and darted back and forth between them but they held their ground. It gazed around, almost panicked, but then its gaze rested on the still unconscious elf. The others did not notice where it held its attention and it suddenly broke away, knocking over Estel and Arwen onto the wet, rocky ground. It ran forward until it came over top of Legolas. Carefully, yet swiftly, it grabbed the elf by the neck in its mouth. The two princesses of Mirkwood gasped and ran to try and get him but Elladan held them back.

The beast looked back at the others with a glare. It tightened it jaws around his neck but not enough to kill him. Norui leapt forward suddenly with his sword held high above his head.

"Norui, stop!" Someone cried but stopped suddenly.

A blinding light coursed throughout the cave and they all cried out. There was a rumble and a strong, crisp breeze blew through the room. It knocked the group down and they slammed their eyes shut. The sword of Norui flew away from its master and clattered into the shadows.

As quickly as it came, the light left the room and it was once more dark and shadowy. They lifted their eyes slowly and gazed around. The warg was gone. They glanced around a bit and then Norui jumped up and sprinted to his brother without another thought. Lothron and Melyanna leapt up as well and followed quickly. The prince kneeled beside Legolas and placed his ear to his chest. He picked up a faint heartbeat and he sighed.

"He is alive." He breathed as his two sisters came beside him and he looked up. "Elladan, go get your brother." He commanded. The Noldor elf nodded and darted off without any question. "Mithrandir, Estel, would you help me?" They nodded as well and sat down beside him to begin the healing process. Arwen brought the two princesses away to give room for them. They followed reluctantly, gazing over their shoulder, and they sat down by a boulder. They cried into Arwen's shoulder as she whispered comforting words to them. Within moments, the twins had returned and began to help the three.

"Elrohir, where is Lady Jaimea?" Estel asked as he wrapped Legolas's torso.

"She is still with the horses." He responded.

"How is she? Is she awake yet?" Elrohir stopped what he was doing suddenly and didn't speak. Estel looked up to his foster brother and knitted his brow. "Elrohir?"

"She is not yet awake." He whispered and met the man's gaze, "Nor do I think she will wake." Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the elf. "She has lost much blood and her wounds are grave." No one spoke as they looked between each other. She could not die! They had only just set out. How could this happen so soon? A scratchy voice took them from their thoughts and they looked down to the speaker.

"Bring her to me."

"Legolas!" Norui leaned over his brother, "You are awake!" He exclaimed gleefully. The three elleths came running over to him and grinned down at him. He breathed deeply with his eyes closed.

"Bring her to me." He said again and Norui looked up to the twins. They nodded and ran to fetch Jaimea.

"They are going to get her, Legolas." Norui said and he nodded. He said no more. Estel, Arwen and Mithrandir then stood and left the four siblings in peace. Lothron leaned down and kissed his forehead gently while Melyanna stroked his golden hair.

"My head." Legolas whispered. Melyanna nodded and lifted his head slowly and let it rest on her lap. She brushed away some stray hair from his pale face and kissed him as well.

"Is that better?" She asked gently. He managed a small smile.

"Yes," He said, "Much better." Norui quickly finished cleaning the gashes across Legolas's chest and looked up to Estel.

"Could you get me some water?" He asked and the human nodded. He took a small bowl out of his pack and left to retrieve the water. "Mithrandir, could you please get some _athelas_ out of my pack?" He asked the wizard and he nodded, and then began rummaging through the worn pack.

"Espenshade." Legolas breathed. Norui looked down at him, as did the two princesses.

"What about her?" He asked, frowning.

"I need her." Norui looked to his two sisters and they were frowning as well.

"I…We don't know where she is." He responded weakly. Legolas inhaled sharply, as if panic set in, and he opened his eyes slowly. His blue eyes bore into his brother's emerald ones and he frowned.

"But I need her." He said. Norui opened his mouth to speak but stopped when there was a shout followed by a high pitched screech. Two splashes followed and Legolas smiled, closing his eyes again. "She is here."

Sure enough, a golden Peregrine Falcon soared into the room with a pleased cry. Legolas chuckled slightly. The bird circled overhead a few times, and then landed by the wounded elf. Mithrandir then came back over and held out a few leaves of _athelas_.

"Here you are, my lad." He said softly and Norui smiled.

"Thank you, Mithrandir." He said as he set the leaves beside him. The Istar smiled and left.

Soon, the sound of slapping feet could be heard. They all laughed, except for Legolas who only smiled, when a very wet Estel came trudging back in the room with a bowl of water. Espenshade looked up to the human and squawked happily. Estel just glared back.

"Stupid creature." He grumbled as he sat the bowl beside Norui and then went to sit by Arwen.

The Crown Prince then dipped the plants in the water and placed them on Legolas's wounds. The younger prince shifted and hissed between his teeth in discomfort and Norui smiled sympathetically at him. Just as he was finishing, Elladan appeared. He carried the limp body of Jaimea, wrapped in a soft blanket, in his arms. Her arms hung down loosely and her head was hanging in an unnatural position. Legolas looked over at her, his face expressionless. Elrohir rounded the corner, dripping wet as well but no one took notice. They all stared sadly at the elleth in Elladan's arms.

"Set her down." The prince said as he sighed. The elf obeyed and laid her beside him and backed away. "Thank you." He nodded.

Legolas heaved a heavy sigh as all of his muscled tightened. With a groan, he flung himself into an upright position. He cringed and hissed when his wounds stretched.

"Legolas, you should not sit up yet!" Lothron scolded but he paid no heed.

"Now leave." He said, breathing heavily and he winced in pain.

"But-" Norui began.

"Now." The younger prince said with finality in his voice. The three siblings looked between one other, frowning, and then stood. They gave a nod to the others and then headed out of the cave, leaving only Legolas, Jaimea and Espenshade.

The falcon pranced around anxiously on the cold stone. Legolas smiled.

"Do you know what to do, my beauty?" He asked. Espenshade bobbed her head. "Good." He then slowly turned his aching body towards the elleth. He peeled back the blanket from her body. Her lavender riding tunic was torn in a few places and blood staining the cloth everywhere. Legolas frowned and reached to unbutton the tunic but hesitated.

'_What if they come back?'_ He thought, nervously,_ 'What would they think?'_ He drew his hands back but Espenshade hissed. Legolas glared at her and she sighed. He reached out again and began to undo the buttons with shaking hands. The falcon sighed again.

"Be patient, Espenshade. This is very awkward. Elves are not normally embarrassed by their bodies but this just feels wrong." He explained slowly. He finally got the buttons undone and he peeled the tunic from her body. Three long gashes crisscrossed over her torso and were bleeding heavily despite the makeshift bandages. One would have thought she was dead if it were not for the slightest rise and fall of her chest. Legolas frowned and looked to Espenshade. "Alright, it is your turn." He said. She rolled her eyes and set to work.

Espenshade hopped nimbly onto Jaimea's arm and then proceeded to walk gently over to one of her wounds. She took a heavy breath and then spread her wings to their full extent. Ever so slowly, her body began to illuminate a soft, golden glow. It concentrated in the center of her chest until a very thin beam shot out. Legolas watched on patiently.

The beam trailed along the elleth's skin until it came to one of the wounds. As soon as it touched the opening, a faint steam floated up gently into the eyes of the falcon's determined eyes. The skin around the wound began to stretch so that it met in the middle, closing the horrible gashes. She did this to every slash, leaving only a thin, light brown scar.

Finally, the bird hopped up over Jaimea's chest and rested gently on her neck, careful not to cause her harm with her sharp talons. This time, she opened her sharp beak and a bright, red ball began to form. It quickly took all of the space in her small mouth. With a sudden great thrust of her wings, the glowing orb flew out of her mouth and splashed upon Jaimea's slightly parted lips.

Nothing seemed to happen at first until the elleth suddenly took a huge gasp. Espenshade hopped off quickly and shuffled to Legolas's side. Jaimea's chest rose and fell heavily as she took in sharp, desperate breaths. In a few moments, her breathing returned to a slower, normal pace. Legolas looked down to the falcon and smiled. Espenshade whistled tiredly, and then flew off onto a rocky ledge where she soon succumbed to sleep.

The young prince then looked down the elf beside him. Her eyes had still not opened. Suddenly, worry took over him.

'_Though it was of good intention, she will want to murder me if she wakes now!'_ He shouted to himself. His long, slender fingers made their way to the bottom of Jaimea's tunic and he quickly began to button it up. He froze though when she stirred.

Jaimea sighed softly and her hands rested on her stomach. She sighed again and reached up to brush a stray hair from her face but she was stopped. Furrowing her brow, she brought her hands and grabbed what it was that was blocking her.

Not yet having the strength to open her eyes, she ran her hands over this thing, studying it. It would start soft, almost suede-like, and then it would turn into smooth leather.

'_What is this?'_ She thought. Her hands continued to trail down and she stopped when the leather changed to something that was smooth and fair to the touch. Confused, she slowly began to open her eyes.

Legolas's heart raced as the elleth's eyes fluttered open and met his blue eyes. He quickly removed his hands from her though she would still realize what kind of position they were in.

She visibly paled and her breathing increased rapidly. They sat staring at each other until Jaimea finally stuttered out.

"L-Legolas, what were you doing?" She asked quietly, her voice catching in her throat.

"N-Nothing, I was just-" Jaimea didn't wait for him to finish and she glared. The prince swallowed nervously. She growled and shot up.

"I can not believe you would do that, Legolas!" She shouted angrily. He put his hands up in surrender and his eyes widened as her fist swung out, connecting square on his jaw. He gasped and fell onto his side, placing a hand over the rapidly-forming bruise. With renewed strength, the maiden jumped up to her feet and glared down at the wounded prince. "How dare you be so bold as to put your hands on me like that?"

"No, Jaimea! It is not anything like you think!" He assured her but she just scowled at him.

"Just because you are a prince does not mean you can easily claim any elleth you want! Not all are affected by your charm or appearance!" She shouted.

"Please, I didn't do anything of that nature! I would never do something like that to you or any other elleth!" He tried again. Jaimea growled at him and stormed closer to him, glaring daggers.

"I will give you one last chance, prince! Tell me what you were doing!" His eyes darted frantically around the cave, hoping that they others would return but they didn't.

"I have already told you, Jaimea! I was just trying to-" The elleth growled.

"No dhínen!" She shouted, cutting him off, "I do not want to hear your poor excuses!" With that, she threw out her leg, connecting hard with his already broken ribs and there was a chilling crack. As soon as it hit, pain so fierce shot throughout his body it rendered him speechless and could not make a sound. His whole body went numb and black dots formed in front of his eyes. He could not even feel her continue to kick on his body as he slowly faded into oblivion.

XXXXNORUI'S POVXXXX

Legolas's command for us to leave confuses me greatly. I do not understand. What is he doing to her? Earlier, I thought I saw a dim light shine out from that room but when I asked everyone else they said they didn't see anything.

Not too long ago, I think I heard someone scream. It sounded like Jaimea. After that, a loud crack and then nothing. Everyone heard it this time. We ran to where we left the three and we all stood in shock.

XXXXXXX

Jaimea still kicked mercilessly at the prince and he still lay motionless; eyes wide but unseeing. Espenshade still did not wake from her deep sleep.

"You ignorant prince!" She whimpered as the rest of the group came into the room and she heard them all gasp. She glanced over at them with misted eyes and dropped to the ground on her knees, hiding her face in her hands as her shoulders racked with sobs.

"What have you done!" Shouted a very angry Lothron, "What have you done to him!" She swiftly approached her and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her violently. Estel and Elrohir ran to hold her back who was now in her own tears. They dragged her away from Jaimea and let her drop to the floor. Melyanna soon came over to help comfort her.

"Take Lady Jaimea away and check over Legolas." Mithrandir commanded and Elladan and Arwen picked her up and led her away.

Once the elleth had been dragged out, the Istar and Crown Prince set to work on the unconscious prince. They rolled him onto his back and found that his condition had worsened. His sides and mid-torso had turned blue and brown with bruises. Checking further, they found that the rib they had set was broken again in two places and three other ribs were in the same condition. Norui took all of this in, in horror.

"What happened?" He breathed, "What did he do to make her act in such a way?"

"I am not sure." Mithrandir responded, though he knew the question was probably not meant to be answered. With a sigh, the two began the task of setting the broken bones again. Though it most likely would, they prayed to the Valar that this would not hinder their journey.

After they had done all that they could, they carefully lifted him and brought him back to the rest of the group in the main cave. Back in a corner far away from everyone else sat Jaimea, wrapped in a thick blanket, shaking from her tears.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Elvish Translations**

_**Lanta linte, raug- Fall swift, demon**_

_**No dhínen- Be silent**_

**Yay! Another chapter completed! And I actually finished this one in one day! WOOT! Okay, reviewer responses.**

**DaughterOfEvil- Um…riiight then! lol. Glad you like it! And just a thought, if you review again do not mention anything about this story that I have told you. If you do, I will have to come to your house and murder you. Okey dokey, thank you muchos! Oh, sorry you weren't in this chapter. You'll be back soon though. Namarie! **

**Jousting Elf with a LIGHT Sabre- You _smile_ in the morning! Oh wow, I didn't think that was possible! But yea, I know what you mean. Poor Legolas, yea, but this won't be the last time! Muahaha! Torture the elf! YAY! I lurve him though! lol. I know what you mean. Of course, I find anything funny at anytime of the day. I will just start laughing spontaneously. It is fuun. Okay, enough rambling! Thank you! Namarie!**

**katquest2000- Oooh, thank you! I hope I updated soon enough. I have been getting lazy lately. Not writing on MS Word or in my spiral. I must be punished. :stabs self: AAH! Thank you for reading!**

**Lasien- Leaf Maiden, eh? I was close! Hehe. I know a tad bit of elvish but only a few phrases. Not much. I want to be fluent but that is hard when your stupid high school doesn't offer it! They offer Latin but not Elvish:screams: What is up with that! Anywho, thank you for reading and reviewing! Namarie!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- You don't want Norui? Well, alright. :takes the elf back, hugs, and then shoves him in a closet: And you want some of Legolas's hair? Okay. :grabs the elf by the head and cuts off some hair waaay in the back by his neck and hands it over: Here you go. Enjoy your clone! Thank you for reading and reviewing! Namarie!**

**A/N: If anyone noticed, I updated my bio with details about my stories and some ones that have not yet been submitted. One that I am particularly fond of I am writing for a friend called The Call of the Red Bird. I am writing it specifically for her and it will not be released until it is completely finished but I wanted to give you guys a taste of it. Let me know what you think! **

_Night had fallen over Mirkwood once again. Not one soul was out of their rooms. Everyone slept, except one certain prince._

_Nendir stared up at the ceiling with a troubled look on his face. Ethiriel lay beside him with one arm up his night tunic, deep in sleep. The prince looked over at her and smiled. He brushed one finger over her cheek and kissed her forehead. Looking back up the ceiling, he sighed. _

_The welts on his back didn't hurt anymore, but he could still feel them there and this bothered him. With another sigh, he sat up and situated his wife more comfortably. He swung his feet off the bed and stood, stretching. Slowly, he walked into his private bathroom and stared into the mirror. But he didn't see himself. He saw another. His eyes widened and he felt his heart skip a beat. _

_Instead of his normal mahogany hair, it had turned a brilliant white with streaks of deep black. His eyes were pure white and slit like a cat's. His skin had turned even paler and his fingernails had grown longer. His now pointed teeth gleamed back at him and he cried out. _

_He rushed from the bathroom and leaped onto the bed, waking Ethiriel from her sleep. Nendir leaned down over here._

"_Ethiriel, what do I look like!" He asked frantically. The elleth sat up and furrowed her delicate brow._

"_Nendir, you look like you always have." She reached up and ran her fingers down his cheek, "Same eyes, same hair, same everything. Why, what is wrong?" Nendir's heart raced as he jumped off the bed again and into the bathroom again. _

_He glanced in the mirror again and the same reflection stared back at him. His white eyes glared back at him and his teeth glinted. He fingered his face with a look of shock. _

_Ethiriel came running into the bathroom with a silk robe tied around her and she placed a hand on his shoulder._

"_See? The same elf who I love." She said quietly, but that did not comfort him. This was not him. It could not be! He turned away from the mirror in disbelief. Suddenly, a strange yet familiar voice entered his mind._

'_Tomorrow will bring those you love_

_Yet that day the red bird calls._

_Over hill and under tree you will play_

_Until the day the red bird calls.'_

_With that, the voice was gone. He looked back at his reflection with mouth agape. The same strange person was there, grinning back at him. _

_And then it was gone to be replaced with Nendir's mahogany hair and bright eyes. He gazed back at the mirror with wild eyes. _

"_Come, Nendir, let us sleep." Ethiriel said, clasping his hand in her's and leading him back to bed. _

_IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI_

_The hall was eerily quiet except for the soft blow of wind and the quiet cackling of one drifting down the empty corridor. _

**There you go! Now I am really done. Namarie, mellyn!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	22. First Time

**:creeps in nervously, peering around corners and taking light footsteps: Um…hello…I am kind of apprehensive about this chapter for some reason. I am not quite sure what to do about it. I guess we will just see what happens…**

**XXXXXXX**

Chapter 22- First Time

Night had fallen. The light of the moon shined on the waterfall, reflecting small, delicate beams of her light on the faces of those who slept inside of the hidden cavern. They all were taking their much needed rest for they had traveled great distances in but a day. But amidst the slumbering companions, there was one who could not find peace.

Jaimea sat at the mouth of the cave, staring out into the vast sea of trees with silent tears running down her face. Her eyes were red and puffy from weeping as well as her chapped cheeks. A breeze blew through the cave and she wrapped the blanket tighter around her quivering body even though she could not feel the cold. She sighed shakily and used the corner of the blanket to wipe off another tear.

'_I am so confused,' _She thought,_ 'Was he really telling the truth? Or was it as it seemed?'_ She gave another shudder, _'If he was indeed telling me the truth, he will despise me when he wakes up.'_ At this thought, more tears began to spill over her blood-shot eyes. She put her head in hers hands dejectedly as her shoulders racked with sobs. The soft blanket soon became damp from the elleth's tears.

She remained in this state for quite a while longer. Her ginger colored hair clung to her face but she didn't care. Her mind was reeling with thoughts about the youngest prince of Mirkwood and what she had done to him. She sniffed and slowly brought her hands out of her eyes. She gazed unseeingly into the cascading waterfall before her and out into the dark forest. She closed her eyes and sighed, biting her bottom lip. She stood up and gathered the blanket around her shoulders. They would have to continue the journey soon and it would not be wise to go sleepless.

She turned and made for the cave but a blinding light suddenly filled the room for a split second. Jaimea's eyes widened in confusion and worry.

'_Maybe it was just Mithrandir.'_ She thought. Not wanting to be caught awake or having to deal with confrontation, she quickly laid back down on the rocky floor, facing the inside of the cave, using the blanket to partially cover her face.

Light footsteps approached her still trembling body. She clenched her eyes shut and her breath caught in her throat when someone stopped before her. The person knelt down and placed a gentle, warm hand on her forehead with a sigh. Jaimea furrowed her brow for she could not discern who the person was. Her heavy crying and sorrow had dulled her senses.

The person, who ever it was, then pulled the blanket away from her face to uncover her nose and mouth, then tucked it under her neck gently. A rush of fresh pine and earth swept past her nose and she inhaled deeply, taking in the fragrant scent. A small smile appeared on her lips involuntarily and she took another breath. She could feel the person's hand freeze in mid action but soon moved away. Jaimea frowned as the aroma left her and the damp mustiness of the caves engulfed her again.

The person stood and walked silently away towards the cavern's entrance but not before sweeping another blanket over top of her and giving her a light kiss on her forehead. There was a sigh as he sat down away from her. The elleth opened her eyes and before even seeing who the person was, she grabbed hold of the blanket in her fists. It was soft to the touch, almost silky, and very thin. In the light of the moon, she could see that it was a gray-green, the color of a tree's bark. Quickly, she thought of all of the ones in the group that had this kind of cloak. The Rivendell twins had a burgundy color and Arwen had a navy blue cloak. Estel wore a hunter green one while Mithrandir resorted to heavy, grey robes. That left the four royals of Mirkwood.

'_Well,_' She thought, _'I am almost positive that Lady Lothron and Lady Melyanna dislike me and Legolas is injured._' She bit her lip again to stop the tears at the thought of him, _'So it must have been Norui. It is hard to believe that my senses have dulled so much that I didn't recognize him, though.'_

Jaimea pierced the darkness with her chocolate eyes. All seemed to be in their spots. To her surprise though, her eyes fell upon the handsome face of the Crown Prince Norui who was resting in a crevice a few feet above the wet floor. His arm hung limply down the wall and he had a warm smile on his face.

The elleth shivered.

'_Who was that?_' Very slowly, she rolled to the other side and found the body of the person and her eyes widened.

Golden blonde hair billowed in the chilly wind like the long, green grasses in a warm meadow. The water, along with the moon, sent fleeting mirrors of light on his troubled face. His deep, sapphire eyes glinted against the falls and Jaimea gasped.

"Legolas!" She shouted in shock but immediately slapped her hands over her mouth. The prince shot his head around to her, alarm clear in his features. Jaimea's eyes widened, "What are you doing! You are injured!" She hissed. He did not respond. He looked her up and down and then motioned with his hand for her to come.

Hesitantly, Jaimea picked herself up from the ground, gathering up the blankets around her hips, and then made her way over to him slowly. He did not turn to look at her when she sat down beside him with her hands in her lap. Moments passed and neither one spoke. The elleth would glance at him from the corner of her eye but he made no signs of moving. She imagined him on one of the nights that she had got a glimpse of him many years back. He wore a silver circlet upon his head, carved with meandering vines and leaves. Long, green, brown, and gold robes adorned his body and trailed down to the ground. The same vines on his circlet were embroidered on the sleeves and hems. Though it was long, it was light weight and he could easily dance to the music with his people. He grinned brightly at something unknown.

Jaimea was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Legolas chuckle quietly. She glared at him and he bit his lip. The elleth felt red creep up on her cheeks and she faced the water again.

"What can I do for you, my prince?" She asked quietly. He jumped slightly at the use of his title. His fingers fidgeted with the end of his tunic.

"I did not ask anything of you, milady." He replied, putting emphasis on 'milady'. She did a double take and then her eyes rested back in her lap.

"Then why did you call me over?"

"You called to me, and I am still too weak to move much." Jaimea then remembered why she had initially said his name and she swiveled around to face him.

"You are supposed to be unconscious! Your wounds are great. How can you be up and about?" She asked, quite puzzled. Legolas's lips turned up into a smile and he nodded.

"I suppose I have some explaining to do." He said, chuckling, "Well, first, I think it is necessary that I explain what was really going on when you first awoke." Jaimea wrapped the cloak about her tighter and she nodded.

"Yes, that would be a good idea." said the elleth but Legolas ignored the bitterness in her tone and he continued.

"My brother told me that you were injured. I told him to bring you to me and he did so then left. Then, to pu imply, Espenshade and I healed you." Jaimea furrowed her brow.

"But I am not injured now. There is nothing there that proves what you tell me is the truth." He shook his head.

"No, there are. Look." He said as he nodded towards her midsection. She took a hesitant glance at his face, then rolled up the bottom of her sleeping tunic. Going up and disappearing underneath the cloth were faint, white scars that appeared as if they had been there for countless years. She traced the lines carefully with her hand.

"But how is that possible!" She breathed. Legolas smiled understandingly.

"I have already told you that, Jaimea. It was Espenshade," He hesitated, "Well, it was mostly Espenshade. I just helped, um, prepare." He finished awkwardly. Jaimea pushed her tunic back down.

"Is that how you are healed?" She asked and he nodded.

"Yes, it is. If you noticed that light from within the cave, that was her and I." The elleth nodded, not fully understanding but well enough.

"I see," She said, "Well, thank you, Legolas. I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I should have known that you would never do that to me or anyone else for that matter." She paused, "But how? Espenshade is but a falcon. How can she possess the power to do that?" Legolas frowned at that and shook his head.

"Honestly, I can not explain it myself. I discovered her power many, many years ago when I, um…" He stopped and suddenly starting fidgeting nervously. Jaimea noticed his eyes begin to glaze over and she put an arm on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Do not say if it brings painful memories." She said gently and he gave her a small smile. She smiled back, then looked to the rocky floor again. "She is very strange." Was all she said. When she noticed that he resumed his apprehension, she moved her body closer to him so that their knees touched. She then reached over slowly to his twitching hands and took one in her own.

She suddenly recalled the event that took place many, many years ago within the royal family of Mirkwood that had disturbed them to that very day. It was a horrible time and everyone in the forest had tried to forget it. Whether it was because they feared what had happened or they had been reasonable enough to give them peace, the giant spiders and orcs that roamed over the Woodland Realm didn't breach the palace grounds for a few years after the event.

She shook her head, clearing those thoughts away, and looked up at Legolas. He was smiling warmly at her and she gave him her own shy smile. Finally, they looked back out into the darkness in companionable silence. The stars shone brightly in the deep black sky and cast their light upon the land. There was a low rumble in the distance and almost at once rain started to pour down from the heavens.

After a few moments, Jaimea spoke again,

"Legolas?"

"Yes?" He responded, still gazing out.

"I must tell you something." She said quietly. He looked over at her and turned his body to face her.

"I am listening." He said. Jaimea looked up and met his sapphire gaze. Blushing, she looked back down.

"You remember before the battle, I told you not to worry about me." He nodded, "The truth is I was scared to death." Legolas smiled.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of. It is perfectly natural."

"It is not that."

"Then what it is?" He asked caringly. Once again, the elleth met his gaze and she was unable to look away.

"I was afraid because I had no idea what I was doing. I have never held a sword in my life before." She said with a quivering voice, "I thought I was going to die."

Legolas remained speechless. He searched her gaze for any signs of jest but he found nothing of the sort. Only fear, sorrow, and anxiousness.

"You lied to me?" He finally stuttered out.

"Please, Legolas, I am sorry." For yet another time this night, tears began to spill over her eyes. His hand began to withdraw from her's and he moved away, "I should have told you that I could not fight." The prince's brow was creased in a frown. He didn't want to believe it.

"But why?"

"I wanted to help you all. I saw the other elleths going to fight and I didn't want to seem weak to you."

Legolas studied her face for a brief moment, but anger soon overtook him. He gritted his teeth and glared at Jaimea. With clenched fists, he shot up to his feet.

"By lying, you appear weak! If you had have been killed, you would not have been helping us in any way and I do not know what I would have done with myself if you died! What you did was wrong!" And with that, he stormed back into the caves. The elleth rose to her knees.

"Please, Legolas, it was of good intention!" She exclaimed as she tried to hold back the impendent tears. She stood, "Legolas!" She waited but heard nothing until she heard the hurried steps of him returning.

Legolas came up to her quickly and snatched her hands in his, bringing them his chest and pulling her close.

"Do not ever do that again, Jaimea! If we fight again, you will remain behind or you will ride with Norui or me." He choked back his sobs, "I will not allow you to kill yourself where you should not be in the first place." He told her, hurt and betrayal clear in his voice. Jaimea could feel his body tremble against her. His eyes pleaded with her's and she bit her lip.

"Legolas…" She whispered. He squeezed her hands.

"Promise me, Jaimea, that you will not do that again." The she-elf felt a long tear slide down her cheek and she nodded.

"I promise." The prince gave her a smile whilst a small tear escaped his eye. She smiled shyly back at him and he put his hand to her cheek, brushing away her tears with his thumb. He pulled her closer and gave her a tight hug, then let her go, still holding onto her arms and she still held his.

They were lost in each other's eyes and the only sound that they could hear was the pounding of the blood pumping through their bodies. Heat radiated off of them and they found comfort in it. Their smiles faded suddenly. Legolas parted his mouth the slightest and Jaimea inhaled deeply. He took one tentative step towards her and she followed his movements. Their chests touched and the elleth had to look up slightly to meet his gaze. Ever so slowly, the prince leaned down towards her and she tilted her head up. Their eyes closed and their lips brushed together slightly. Both felt their heartbeats quicken and heat sprang up where they held each other.

Legolas closed the gap completely and their lips met in a gentle kiss. Jaimea felt weak at the knees and the prince supported her by wrapping an arm around her back.

Suddenly, there was a high pitched whinny and a slap. Legolas pulled away abruptly and gazed out into the night. Without a word, he hurried back into the cave. He emerged a moment later carrying his twin daggers in hand.

"What are you doing?" Jaimea asked, frightened, but he didn't respond. He quietly left the cave and disappeared into the night.

Jaimea sat at the opening anxiously, waiting for him to return. She waited for only a few moments when she finally heard his hard breathing and he emerged through the opening.

"Legolas, what is it?" The elleth asked nervously. He turned to her with a worried face.

"Wake the others." He said, then ran into the caves shortly followed by Jaimea.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

"Norui, wake up." Legolas prodded his brother who only moaned.

"No, go away. I am still tired." He said sleepily as he swatted at the air.

"I don't care. Get up now. I need you." At this. the Crown Prince growled.

"It had better be good." He said. Norui sat up, rubbing his eyes, and Legolas backed away. His eyes slowly opened and they fixed on Legolas. He gasped. "Legolas! What are you doing up?" He hissed.

"Never mind that now. I need your help." He said, the swiftly turned and went back to the mouth of the cave. Confused, Norui grabbed the tunic he had been using as a pillow and slipped it over his body. He took a leather band from around his wrist and used it to quickly tie back his hair. Grabbing his weapons, the prince sprang from his crevice and hurried after his brother.

Legolas crouched down on the lip of the cave's mouth with Espenshade on his shoulder.

"Do you see, Espenshade?" The bird nodded, "And you know what I want you to do?" After a pause, she hissed softly and ruffled her feathers. Legolas sighed. "I know you are exhausted but I promise this will be the last time for a while." He pleaded. The falcon made an annoyed sigh and Legolas scratched her head gratefully. "Good girl."

Norui came running behind his brother, fastening the clasp on his cloak.

"What is it, Legolas?" He asked, eyeing him.

"Someone is down there."

"Who?"

"I am not sure but I think it is Lady Turwaithiel." Legolas said slowly.

"And you woke me up because…?" Norui questioned, slightly annoyed.

"She is wounded." said Legolas and the Crown Prince's eyes widened and he nodded.

"Alright. Head down there and see what you can do. I am going to wake Estel and the twins." He said, then darted back into the cave.

Norui came upon Jaimea who was trying to wake Elladan but failing miserably as she gently tapped him with a finger and whispering to him. The prince smiled.

"Let me." He said. Jaimea looked up at him and nodded, scooting away. Norui bent down to the twin's level. "Elladan, wake up." There was no response but he smirked anyway. In one quick motion, Norui flung his fist down hard of the Noldor elf's stomach, making Jaimea gasp. Elladan's eyes pinged open as he rolled onto his side in a ball, gasping for breath. The prince grinned. "And that is how you wake up Elladan." He patted Jaimea on the shoulder. "Now, do you think you can wake up Estel and Elrohir? They are much easier." At Jaimea's nod, he smiled and went off to find his brother.

Norui leapt nimbly down the cliff's front, keeping his eyes alert for Legolas. He grumbled to himself as the heavy rain stung his eyes and skin. The rocks were slippery now, hindering his movements.

Looking down over the cliff, he spotted his brother's tall form standing over something with Espenshade on his shoulder. His clothing clung to his body and his golden hair stuck to his face. Feeling it was safe, Norui leaped down the rest of the cliff and landed with a squishy thud. Legolas snapped his head around to him and motioned for him. The oldest prince jogged over to him and looked down at the form in front of him,

Turwaithiel lay on her side, unconscious. Blood stained her soft dress and there were numerous cuts and bruises on her arms and legs. Norui glanced up at his unmoving brother.

"Well, why aren't you doing anything?" Norui asked Legolas. Slowly, the young prince lifted his gaze from the woman to his brother.

"We should leave her." He stated. The oldest prince just growled.

"Legolas, you know we cannot do that. Either help me get her to the caves or just leave." Legolas glared.

"Why do you not trust me?" He hissed.

"I do trust you, Legolas, but we cannot just leave her." Norui said gently. Legolas stared into his brother's emerald eyes and nodded once.

"Fine." With that, the Crown Prince lifted the woman into his arms then headed back to the caves with Legolas in tail.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Yay! It is done! I finished this in one night! Go me! I am still kind of 'iffy' about this chapter. I am not sure I like it. **

**Also, I put another glimpse of 'Call of the Red Bird' in here. Alright, I may be obsessing with it but I love that story! I can not wait to get it posted!**

**Okay, reviewers…**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Oh, that is a good story idea. I know nothing of Star Wars, so I am not going to get into that. What is the story about! Lemme know and I will check it out once it is posted. Yea, there should be resentment but the story was dragging on and I needed to get the romance going. But don't worry, I will take care of that…juuust wait. There will be LOTS of Jaimea resentment. Thank you for the review!**

**Kitty and Kenny- Ooh, thank you! Is it really giving you the shivers? Neato! Update your story soon! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- What did he do to me? Well…um, he won't be my boyfriend! How is that? Hehe. Of course the schools are stupid! If they weren't, they would dedicate the education system to Tolkien! YAY! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- LOL! Very nice::eyes the clone: 'Ello there, Lord Legolas. You be doing anything later on tonight? Hehe. Thank you!**

**reyenoi- A new reader! Yay! And wow! Thank you for all of those reviews! Thank you for the suggestions. I will try to keep them in mind. Thanks for pointing that out for me. Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Well, that is about it! My fingers hurt and my eyes are blurry, but it is done! YAY! Namarie, mellyn! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	23. From My Eyes

**Good day to you all! I didn't get flamed for the previous chapter so that makes me happy! YAY! Okay…I don't think I have anything to say…so, uh…Oh! 'Call of the Red Bird' is up! I'm so happy now! And I also finished another spiral and got a HUGE journal with about five hundred pages in it. If I can't finish the LimM in that, then I need help! Okay, story.**

**XXXXXX**

Chapter 23- From My Eyes

Elrohir slipped his maroon colored tunic over his head and buttoned it half way up. He looked over to his foster brother, Estel, and yawned.

"Why are we awake now?" He asked.

"Lady Turwaithiel has been found and we need to do anything we can to help her." The human responded but the elf only yawned again.

"She chose a bad time to come back," Elrohir said, "Why do the others get to sleep?" Elladan dropped his pack on the floor and glanced at his twin.

"Elrohir, I think you are spending too much time around Estel. You are beginning to sleep like a human!" He laughed and Elrohir scowled.

"I am not." He mumbled.

The soft slapping of wet feet came from the tunnel and the three brothers turned their attention from their discussion to the sound. Norui appeared into the main cave with Turwaithiel in his arms. The three smiled when they saw her but immediately frowned again when they saw Legolas coming up behind. Estel leapt up from his spot, glaring at the young prince.

"Legolas, what are you-" He was cut off when the prince put his hand in the air, silencing him.

"I will explain later." He stated simply and then stooped down beside his kneeling brother.

"Her wounds are not too bad." Norui said, "Just some athelas will do the trick." Elladan took some athelas from his pack and gave it to the prince. Norui chewed it up for a moment then rolled up her torn dress to place the plant in the wound on her thigh. This brought a small gasp from the lady and they all looked to her face hopefully.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she stared wide-eyed at the ellons around her. She quickly pushed her dress back down and sat herself up. She winced and fell back but Elrohir caught her in his arms. She immediately pushed him away and backed away from them all.

"Milady, how do you feel?" Norui asked quietly, "Are you hurt anywhere else?" She stared into his emerald eyes and after a while, she shook her head in the negative. The Crown Prince smiled, "That is good. Are you hungry?" She nodded once, "Alright, we will cook something up for you."

"I will wake the others." Estel said, and then trotted off to do just that.

Soon, the entire group was awake and was giving Turwaithiel all of their attention. A few had lent her their cloaks and blankets and all of her wounds had been taken care of. They had made a steaming stew with bits of rabbit that Espenshade had caught and other herbs that they could find. The lady immediately started gulping it down greedily but still tried to use the manners she possessed. The others took the remainder of the food and sat around her.

"Milady, what happened to you? Where did you go?" Melyanna asked her as she carefully ate around the bits of meat. Turwaithiel swallowed a bit of the broth and wiped her mouth with her sleeve before answering.

"After the first battle with the wargs and we found Prince Legolas and Lady Jaimea, I broke away from the group to heal my wounds. I couldn't do much with what I had so I searched for some healing herbs in the wild. Perhaps I accidentally drove the wargs to attack you again." She explained with a raspy voice. The others nodded and then let it go.

Silence reigned and the other noise that could be heard was the rushing of the water outside and the scraping of spoon against bowl. No one spoke to anyone or made a move. Their main goal was to stay warm and dry.

"But why were you wounded so badly when we found you? Surely that wound was not enough to hurt you as it did." Legolas said, staring hard at the woman. She glared up at him.

"After you all drove the wargs away, I was caught in them and was attacked again." She explained. Her lips then turned up into a smirk, "But I think you are the one who should be explaining, prince. Did you or did you not suffer grave wounds from your encounters with the beasts?"

Murmurs then circled through the group as this came to their realization.

"Yes, Legolas, how are you healed?"

"You could not have recovered that quickly!"

"What happened exactly?"

Legolas did not pay attention to any of these questions but kept his hard glare on the smirking face of Turwaithiel. To the elf, her eyes seemed to twinkle with trickery and deceit. The voices around him did not exist and he studied her intently. She just continued to smirk.

"Legolas!" Someone shouted and the prince snapped out of his stare, "Are you going to answer or not?" The young prince just sighed quietly and stood.

"I will be back by morning." He stated monotonously, then left the group and headed for the mouth of the cave. He heard the beats of Espenshade's wings above his head and then the shuffling of someone standing but he continued out into the bitter rain and howling wind.

Jaimea watched the fleeting back of the prince disappear behind the waterfall. The Peregrine falcon lagged behind a bit and the elleth noticed that the bird was watching her intently. Her golden eyes shined in the dark cave and they beckoned her to follow. She set her empty bowl on the ground and stood up.

"Milady?" Estel questioned but she didn't respond. She watched Espenshade vanish behind the wall of water.

"I will be right back." She said quietly and then made her way outside.

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Stinging rain beat onto her pale face as soon as she stepped outside and the wind made her blonde hair blow wildly about her. She squinted her eyes, searching for the prince but she saw no one. She sighed and turned around to head back into the cave but the screeching of a falcon managed to pierce through the winds. Looking up into the sky, Jaimea saw a faint silhouette of the bird circling above the trees. Smiling, she slid down the rest of the slope and landed with a squishy thud at the bottom. Mud slashed onto her old navy blue leggings and her boots and she growled. She tried to wipe them clean but eventually gave up and trudged in the direction of the circling bird.

Even under the canopy of the trees, the rain was still able to beat down on her. She wiped away some stray hair that clung to her face and then gazed up into the trees. A clap of thunder boomed in the sky suddenly and she jumped, covering her ears. Once the rumbling had stopped, she moved her hands hesitantly and scanned the trees again.

A bolt of lightning struck through the night sky, lighting up everything in a flash. In that brief moment, Jaimea spotted the golden haired elf she was looking for perched high in a tree. She frowned when the flash went out and another boom shook the earth. The elleth shivered.

'I hate storms!' She thought nervously. She continued over to the base of the tree Legolas was in and growled as she began her climb, 'Foolish prince! He will be killed if he stays up there!' Another flash of lightning came and she looked up. The ellon still sat motionless in the tree, staring out into nothing.

Jaimea finally reached the prince's perch and she peeked over at him. He still moved none. Carefully, she swung her leg over the branch so that she straddled it in front of Legolas. Still no movement from him.

"Legolas?" She called timidly and a small smile crept into his face but he didn't say anything and kept his gaze. The elleth furrowed her brow and slid closer to him. A slight glaze hung over his half-opened eyes. Jaimea smirked, 'Sleeping, eh?' She thought. She leaned to his ear and whispered, "Legolas…" No response and she grinned, "Are you awake?"

This time, the prince stirred a little and mumbled some incoherent words but did not wake. With a playful laugh, Jaimea pushed him to the side just enough to knock him off balance.

XXX-LEGOLAS POV-XXX

I was having a nice dream about Mirkwood. It was pitch black out with only the flickering lights of candles and fireflies to light the gardens. The moon and stars were smiling down at us with their bright rays as we danced and sung amongst each other. It was our annual festival where we say good-bye to winter and greet the spring; a joyous time for everyone.

I was dancing with all of the other elves to a fast paced song. My family was sitting in their high seats in front of everyone else. I could feel my mother's smile on me and I grinned. Turning to face her, I motioned for her to come dance.

She hesitated but then stood from her throne and strode gracefully down towards me, still smiling. My grin grew and I rushed over to greet her. I grabbed her hands in mine and then started dancing with the music again. She laughed as I swung her and twirled around in time with the song. I was about to say something to her but stopped when I felt a strange sensation in my body. It felt as if it was raining but there was no water. I looked at everyone else but they seemed not to notice. My mother was still laughing in front of me but her melodious voice seemed duller and slower.

Then everything started spinning like mad. I suddenly felt like I was falling. All of the faces around me disappeared and the wet feeling was more pronounced. All I saw was black…and the ground rushing towards me.

I made to scream but something soft and cool grabbed my hand securely. I gulped as I hung, staring down at the ground. I shook my head to drive away the sleep in my eyes and then looked up. Jaimea held my hand and was grinning down at me. I smiled.

XXX-NORMAL POV-XXX

Jaimea beamed when Legolas looked back up at her. Rain still came heavily down upon them and it made it hard to keep a grip on him but she held his hand firmly. Another flash of lightning illuminated the sky and the elleth saw that he was beaming at her also. She chuckled.

"Hello, Legolas. What are you up to?" She asked teasingly and Legolas shrugged.

"Just hanging around." He replied with a smirk tugging at his lips. Jaimea smiled and began to pull him up. Once he was able to reach, he grabbed hold of the branch and swung himself up to straddle in front of her. They sat smiling at each other for a few moments, neither making a move nor speaking a word.

Yet another crash of thunder cracked causing Jaimea to jump in surprise. She nearly fell off the branch but Legolas caught her with a laugh and pulled her close.

"Jumpy, are we?" He teased with a grin. Jaimea looked up to him with a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"I suppose. I have never really liked storms." She replied quietly. Legolas smiled and gently brushed away a rolling drop of rain from her cheek with his thumb. The elleth smiled back bu oon faltered. The prince frowned.

"What is it, Jaimea?" He asked.

"I must ask you a question." She began, "Though I do feel awkward doing so."

"You can ask me anything." He said as he cupped her cheek in his palm.

"Back in the caves before Turwaithiel came back, something happened that confused me. I have forgotten about it until now." She said. His eyes bore into her's, urging her to continue, "You kissed me, Legolas, and I do not know why."

Legolas's face fell at her comment and he put his hands in his lap, averting her gaze. Jaimea continued to watch him fixedly, waiting for his answer.

His head suddenly sprung up and a smile graced his lips. He took her hands in his and brought them to his lips.

"It was a thank you." He said and the elleth quirked her head.

"A thank you for what?"

"For making that promise to me." He answered as he let her hand drops. Jaimea felt something wash over her body, but she couldn't tell what.

'Relief.' She thought and then spoke aloud, "Oh."

She gazed down to the forest floor. A pair of rabbits were scampering around under some bushes and birds were pecking at the ground, trying to find a meal. When she looked back up at Legolas, he was still smiling.

"Now I have a question for you." He said.

"Yes?"

"Why did you kiss me back?" Jaimea felt heat fly up and down her body and she hoped Legolas couldn't see her flushed skin. She looked away, biting her lip. The ellon watched her with expectant eyes as she contemplated her thoughts, "Jaimea?"

"I do not know." She whispered finally, "I was caught up in the moment." And said nothing else. The prince sighed quietly with a frown and looked up into the tree. Espenshade was perched on a branch over them and she gazed down at Legolas with a twinkle in her eye. Her rolled his eyes in a very un-elflike manner and turned back to the elleth.

"Jaimea…" He whispered, and then slowly lifted her head with his forefinger, "It is alright. Don't be embarrassed. I understand." Jaimea smiled slightly and nodded. Legolas placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead. The elleth chuckled and the prince grinned, pulling her against his chest, "I am going to stay out here tonight," He said, "You might want to go back to the caves if you do not like storms." Jaimea shook her head.

"Nay, I will be alright. I want to keep you company." She said and he shrugged.

"Alright," He put his cloak around her and himself, "But be prepared to get wet." He added with a chuckle. She smiled and nodded.

They then let the sound of the falling rain fill their ears and they sighed in content. Espenshade swooped down from her perch and landed on her master's shoulder. Much to the elve's annoyance, she then shook her feathers to dry off, and then crept in between the two. Jaimea laughed when she felt the falcon begin to tug and chew gently on her hair. Legolas smiled and brought his arms around her tighter.

"Do you like her, Jaimea?" He asked quietly and she nodded, "That is good." She sighed and rested her head against his chest as the falcon moved onto her lap.

"Legolas?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you leave so suddenly? Is something bothering you?" She heard him sigh and he leaned against the trunk of the tree. When he did not respond, she asked him again.

"It is Turwaithiel." He said suddenly, "I do not trust her. She brings ill fortune to our journey." He explained and Jaimea furrowed her brow.

"Why do you not trust her? She has done no wrong." She retorted. Legolas sighed again and stroked Espenshade's chest without noticing.

"Am I the only one who sees it?" He whispered to himself.

"Legolas, if you know something you must tell someone. The success of this journey is at stake." The elleth said and the prince nodded.

"I know," He said and paused, "After she explained where she was, the pieces came together in my mind."

"What do you mean?"

"She said that she thinks she might have provoked the wargs to attack us a second time and that she got caught by them after they were driven out of the cave, yes?"

"It is very well possible she could have been attacked by them, Legolas." She said.

"Yes but that is not the point."

"Then go on." She replied and he nodded.

"She said she knew of the last two warg encounters," He began, "But how could she know of these things when she was not present at either of them?"

**XXXXXXX**

**There you go! A new chapter finally! Short but it is up. I hope you liked it. And please check out 'Call of the Red Bird'! Okay, reviewers!**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Ooh that would be fun to co-write! It sounds like you have a lot of stories on your hands. lol. I do, too. Ug, stressful sometimes. Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- Hmm, well, you could just call it suspicion but this chapter should clear _some_ things up, hopefully. And I can not tell you if she is evil or whatever. That would spoil it, wouldn't it? Thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**Legolas's Girl 9- Oh, fine. You can have him. I get the real one! YAY::hugs Legolas: Elfy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Welcome aboard! It is good to have you. Thanks for reading and reviewing this story and 'Call of the Red Bird'! **

**reyenoi- Okay, you didn't review this chapter but I want to thank you for the other reviews anyway! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Okay, all done. Off to work on my school project that is due Thursday and I have done nothing on…ehehe…Namarie!**

**Have any of you seen Kingdom of Heaven yet! It is brilliant!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	24. Ominous Storms and Pasts Revealed

**I have returneth with a new chapter! Yay! Okay, here we go. Hehe. I liked the reviews for the last chapter. Hehe. Very funny. :twitch: **

**XXXXXX**

Chapter 24- Ominous Storms and Pasts Revealed

Jaimea didn't respond as she took in his last statement, hoping to find a reason that could prove him wrong. But there was nothing. Legolas inhaled sharply when the elleth unconsciously tightened her grip on his leg in shock and worry.

"Oh Eru…" She gasped, then spun around to face the prince, "We must warn them! Turwaithiel could be a threat to our-" Legolas placed two fingers over her lips, silencing her.

"Hush, be silent, Jaimea. We will not warn them of anything yet. This is only one thing that we can hold against her." He slowly removed his fingers from her and she looked into his eyes questioningly.

"But you father…"

"Will not benefit from us if we reveal to Turwaithiel that we have discovered a fault in her plans, whatever they may be." He finished for her, "No one will know of this, right?" He asked. Jaimea hesitated but finally nodded.

"Right." She said and Legolas smiled.

"Good." He said. The elleth nodded and then faced forward again. After a few moments, she sighed and smiled, chuckling, "What?" The prince asked.

"I guess I don't get another thank you?" She asked playfully. Legolas grinned.

"Do you want one?" He asked. Jaimea suddenly felt heat creeping up her neck.

"Well…I, yes. No! What I mean is, um…" She trailed off. He laughed.

"It is alright. I understand." He said, "Thank you, Jaimea, for keeping this hidden." The prince said. She chuckled nervously and nodded.

"No problem."

Legolas continued to laugh merrily and Jaimea soon put aside her embarrassment and laughed with him. He very carefully placed a kiss on the top of her head, earning him a playful slap on the cheek. He grinned cheekily and she smiled at him.

"So why don't you like storms?" Legolas asked after a while. She flinched but soon regained composure.

"I'd rather not talk about it." She replied.

"But talking will help." The prince urged and he nudged her gently. After a moment, she sighed and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Once again, Legolas inhaled sharply and promptly tilted his head up to be sure they never touched. But he growled inwardly at himself. _'Why do I recoil from her?' _He asked himself, _'I should not be acting in such a way.'_ Very slowly, he brought his head back down and allowed his cheek to rest on her forehead.

"When I was still an elfling, I used to live far away from the palace in the forest. My Ada was a merchant who sold jewelry to the nobles and my Naneth stayed home to help take care of my brother and I." She stopped as tears threatened to spill over down her cheeks. Legolas pulled her closer and caressed her arm gently.

"Go on."

"There was a horrible storm one night, I don't know if you remembered it, and my Ada was outside…"

_XXX-FLASHBACK-XXX_

The elfling watched from the window as her Ada cleared away some bramble and logs. Heavy drops of rain pelted against it and the sky flashed from lightning. She sighed gloomily and rested her head on her palm.

"Jaimea, dear, come away from the window. Your Ada will be here in just a moment." Said a soft, velvety voice from another room. With one last glance at the elf outside, Jaimea hopped down from the window and went into the kitchen.

A tall elleth with silky, auburn hair smiled at the elfling as she placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of an older ellon with golden brown hair. Her sapphire eyes lit up when she smiled and a small dimple appeared on her left cheek. She motioned for Jaimea to come over.

"Come eat your supper, Jaimea." She said gently and the elfling obeyed.

The three eat in comfortable silence, waiting for the other ellon to come back inside. The elleth began to shuffle her feet anxiously when he did not return. Jaimea kept looking out the window while the other ellon continued to eat his soup silently. Finally, the elleth stood from her seat and gathered her humble dress in her arms, then made her way outside.

Her hair quickly became matted and tangled but she paid no heed to it. The wind whipped violently around her body, nearly knocking her off balance.

"Aerandir!" She shouted but her voice was cut off by the gusts, "Come back in the house!"

Amidst the stinging rain, she made out a black shape slowly coming towards her, struggling to continue on. She met him half way and draped an arm over his shoulders. He had golden brown hair that clung to his face from the rain and deep, chocolate eyes. His pale face had red marks all over from the pelting water and his hunter green tunic and leggings stuck to his body.

"Not yet, Enelya, I need to be sure the house will be safe."

"Please, come in. Jaimea is worried sick about you." Enelya motioned towards the window where, once again, the little elfling was perched, gazing out at her parents.

"No, I just need to move-"

An ear-shattering crack boomed in the sky and a huge bolt of lightning shot down upon the forest. Enelya gasped as a large oak creaked and began to crash down to the earth. She pulled her husband's arm and they tried to run but their bodies were frozen with fear.

The sound of Jaimea's shrill scream rang out through the forest as Aerandir shoved his wife away and the tree crashed down on the earth…and the ellon.

_XXX-END FLASHBACK-XXX_

Jaimea ended her tale with wide, puffy eyes. Memories came flooding back to her that she thought she had long forgotten. Only when Legolas tighten his grip on her did she make any signs of still being alive.

"Oh, Jaimea, I am so sorry." He whispered, not knowing what else to say. She shook her head and gripped onto his tunic.

"No, it is not your fault." She assured him.

"What happened to everyone?" He asked.

"Ada died that night and Naneth fell into grief, causing her death. My brother left me in the middle of the night once Naneth had died, leaving me alone. I have not seen him since." Her voice caught in her throat as she choked on her sobs and the prince kissed her temple gently. He noticed that even Espenshade had gone still and sorrowful as if she knew what had just transpired.

"Where do you live now?" Legolas asked hesitantly. He didn't want to trouble her even more but he could not help his curiosity and concern.

"I, um, cannot tell you." She said.

"Why?"

"Because I cannot, Legolas." She said more bitterly then she intended, "Sorry. I just don't want to talk about it." The prince nodded in understanding and placed another kiss on her temple.

"I remember hearing about this when I was still an elfling. My Ada and Naneth were both in sorrow and grief but they wouldn't tell me what had happened. They said it was too complicated for me to understand so I was not able to attend the funeral. But I remember it like it was just yesterday." Legolas said.

Jaimea did not say anything and it unnerved the prince.

"You and Espenshade have something in common then." He said quietly. Jaimea furrowed her brow and glanced up at him slightly.

"We do?"

"Yes." The prince began, "Her mate was killed in a storm as well. They were flying around and a lightning bolt hit him, killing him instantly. It was many days before I saw her again." Jaimea frowned and stroked the falcon's back comfortingly.

"The poor thing." She mumbled, "When did this happen?"

"Around the same time my Naneth…" He choked on his words as a tear threatened to escape.

"I understand. You don't have to say anything else." Jaimea said, resting her head in the crook of his neck once again. She sighed, "It seems we all have something in common then."

They said nothing more that night; just sitting in comforting silence. The rain continued to beat down on them and thunder and lightning crack through the sky eerily. Legolas took off his cloak and wrapped it around the trembling form of the elleth. He would rock her gently, singing soft elven songs to comfort her. The two fell asleep in each other's arms like that and slept peacefully despite the bitter weather.

And that is how they would be found the next morning.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

The gentle trickling sound of fresh water dripping from the leaves echoed throughout the forest and the sweet calling of the birds sung to the creatures of the woods. The storm had only recently subsided but a second wave seemed inevitable. High up in the trees, two elves slept peacefully, not yet awoken by the rising sun. A falcon soared above their heads, calling quietly.

Legolas stirred in his sleep and furrowed his brow when he felt something warm and soft up against him. His memory came back to him and he smiled, then tightened his hold slightly on the elleth that slept in his arms. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she nestled deeper into him. Sleep then began to take the prince once more but it was soon washed away when he heard some excited whispers.

"Look at them!" One said and another chuckled.

"How long do you think they were like that?"

Legolas willed himself to wake up and for his eyes to unglazed. He mumbled some incoherent words.

"Shh, he is waking up!" One said and they both grinned.

"Oh, this is priceless!" Another said, suppressing his laugh.

"Shut up!"

Slowly but surely, the haze over the prince's eyes disappeared and he blinked. When he saw the sight before him, his eyes widened. Elladan and Elrohir were perched on the same branch, grinning back at him.

"Hello, Legolas!" Elrohir exclaimed.

"How did you sleep?" Elladan asked with a smirk. Legolas felt heat creeping up his beck and he nudged the elleth in front of him gently. Jaimea awoke slowly and yawned, trying to blink the sleep out of her eyes. She sighed tiredly and focused on the two in front of her. Just as they had done to the ellon, they grinned at her and she turned her head away in embarrassment. Elladan chuckled, still grinning.

"Well, my good Elrohir, I think it is best we leave these two alone." Elladan said, "It is quite obvious we are interrupting something. The younger twin fought to keep back his laughter though his shoulders shook.

"I agree." He then swung his legs off the branch and Elladan followed suit, "Farewell, you two! We now go to tell everyone the news!" He exclaimed and before Legolas could stop them, they bounded down the tree and sprinted back towards the cave. The prince growled.

"Move, Jaimea!" He ordered and she did quickly. Legolas leapt off the branch and slid down the trunk of the tree. He then followed the amused twins in mad pursuit. Jaimea watched the three and began the descent, though taking her time unlike Legolas had done. She began her own run back to the cave, the yelling of the prince filling the land and scaring off some very annoyed birds.

"You will not tell a soul!" Legolas ordered by they only laughed as they disappeared behind the falling wall of water. Legolas still pressed on and he leapt through the waterfall, grinding his teeth.

He rounded the corner and got there just in time to see the two Noldor elves stop in the center of the room. The others were busy preparing to leave but they turned their attentions to the grinning twins.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" Legolas growled but they didn't look back.

"Legolas slept with Jaimea!" They shouted in unison, both laughing. The prince froze as all eyes shifted to him.

Estel was grinning much like his foster brothers and the three elleths covered their mouths femininely to stifle their giggles. Norui's brow was raised almost to his hair line. Mithrandir had a bright smile on his face and Turwaithiel wore a smirk.

Jaimea soon came dashing in, drenching from both the rain and the waterfall, and she stopped beside the youngest prince. Her gaze met those of her companions and she turned away in embarrassment, knowing full well that they knew already. Legolas swallowed nervously as he gazed wide eyed at them all. Estel cleared his throat.

"Well," The human began with a laugh, "This is certainly a surprise."

"Nothing happened." Legolas growled. The twins laughed.

"Of course, Legolas." Elrohir said, "You didn't realize you had your arms around Jaimea."

"Or that you slept together the whole night." Elladan added. Legolas opened his mouth to retort but his brother beat him to it.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" Leave the matter be and get packing!" Norui ordered and threw a couple of packs at them. The two began to gather their things, still laughing. The Crown Prince glance at Legolas and Jaimea, then went back to his business but his shoulders still quaked with laughter. The young prince gritted his teeth and left to gather his belongings. Jaimea glanced among the other who had continued their packing and with a quiet sigh, she left to do the same.

After a quick bite of _lembas_, the group prepared their horses and started off once again, the group finally back together. Turwaithiel and Mithrandir led the group at a brisk trot. Norui followed behind them followed by Legolas, Lothron, Melyanna, the twins, Jaimea and then Estel and Arwen bringing up the rear. They rode for many hours, never stopping to take a break. The ground was still soggy from the previous storm, slowing down the horses more then they would have liked. The sun shone her light down upon them but dark clouds were beginning to take shape. After a while, the wizard looked upon this gloomy sight and frowned.

"My Lady Turwaithiel, I fear that the rain clouds have returned." He said. She didn't respond for a while, staring straight ahead but she finally turned to the Istar.

"Yes, my lord, they have indeed returned." She replied with a grim tone.

"What do you think we should do? It could prove ill if we continued but we must make up ground." He said. Turwaithiel sighed and glanced up to the sky, "Turwaithiel?"

"We should continue riding until the storm is right above our heads."

"But we are out on the plains. There will be little or no shelter." Mithrandir said.

"Mithrandir, we have lost much time, as you said. We need to make up that ground even if it means getting drenched." She replied sternly. The wizard stared into her eyes and held them. Gray delved into blue and the Lady turned from the stare. She cleared her throat then urged her stallion into a canter. Mithrandir watched her fleeting back then halted his stallion. The others stopped beside him with questioning looks.

"The storm is returning," He said and Jaimea shuddered. Legolas glanced over at her and smiled.

"It will be fine." He mouthed to her. She managed a weak smile and turned to the wizard again.

"Lady Turwaithiel says we should continue riding until the storm is right on top of us." With that, the Istar incited his horse to gallop and he was off. The others glanced between each other before following.

The company traveled many miles that day, unhindered by any beast. They made camp in the middle of the plains and when they awoke the next morning, the dark clouds still loomed behind them like a predator would stalk its prey; waiting for the right moment to strike.

Chill wind swept around them and stung their faces until they were chapped. The occasional drop of rain would fall, dripping down their arms and running into their eyes. There was nothing around them save the dry grass and the occasional bush or tree. Ravens croaked above their heads and soared through the gray, dreary sky. No one really knew where they were going or how much longer it would take except maybe Turwaithiel or Mithrandir. Espenshade swooped over head silently like a shadow as she took up the hunt. Thunder boomed in the distance and the birds scattered from their trees in a frenzy. The falcon chose this moment to strike down one of the dark colored birds and the plummeted to the barren ground. Almost immediately, she began tearing the feathers off the creature until a shrill whistle brought her back to her master's shoulder.

Turwaithiel stopped once she was far ahead of the group and looked back. They appeared as small shapes on the horizon. She glared and looked up into the sky. Her frown disappeared and was replaced with a smirk.

The sky was almost black and the gray clouds were slowly swirling above the companions. The birds shrieked in fright and began flying wildly towards the north. The land was eerily quiet and still, only the bitter breeze filling the emptiness. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed behind them. Dust then rose up from the land in clouds as fresh water splashed onto dry earth. Turwaithiel's smirk grew and she patted her stallion's neck.

"It looks great, Uhako," She said, "It will be perfect." The horse snorted in response.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

Estel looked up the sky suspiciously. It was too dark and too quiet. He turned to those around him but they were too occupied with keeping their eyes on the Lady then paying attention to the sky. The human saw Espenshade flying low to the ground and she had her feathers puffed up. She landed in Legolas's lap and after the elf whispered some things to the falcon, he pulled his pack around and the bird hopped in.

The human quirked his head and Legolas turned to look at him. He gave Estel a curious look but he soon smiled in understanding, then faced forward again.

Estel almost flew off his horse when everyone stopped suddenly in their tracks. He grumbled, sitting himself upright. Turwaithiel had stopped as well and he glared at her.

"The storm is returning." She said and Estel rolled his eyes.

'Even an orc could figure that out.' He thought bitterly and glared at the woman.

"I have misjudged it. It would be wise to seek shelter." She continued. Quiet murmurs struck up in the group and the woman waited patiently like she always did. Espenshade still remained hidden in her master's pack.

Turwaithiel's horse snorted suddenly and laid his ears flat against his head. The woman's grip tightened on the reins and she whispered some words that even the elves had trouble hearing.

"Milady, why do you call your horse 'my love'?" Elladan asked curiously. Turwaithiel glared at the Noldor elf but she quickly softened and smiled.

"I have been with Uhako for many, many years, milord, and he has grown to be my most faithful companion." She explained. Elladan smiled and nodded in understanding. Turwaithiel then put her attentions to the others, "Well? What shall we do?"

"There is no where nearby, "Norui said, "I think we may have to continue through this." He suggested and she glared.

"Have you failed to notice the weather, prince, or can you simply not understand the ways of the skies?" She asked bitterly and the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

"Nay, lady, I have not failed to notice the sky. I am well aware of the wind's change. A terrible storm draws near, yes, but I think it would be best if we continue on and follow your original advice." He said with just as much bitterness. Turwaithiel growled and gazed around at the others.

"Fine. We shall continue." Then with a sharp kick to her horse's flanks, she sped away from them. The group looked between each other in confusion, suspicion and worry.

**XXXXXXX**

**Yay! It is done! Er, this chapter I mean. Hehe. Was this one longer? It seemed like it. I am ultimately happy with this one, too. The part about Jaimea's past was just something random I put in. It wasn't in the original version so I think it turned out pretty well. I hope you liked it and I hope it didn't seem Mary Sue-ish. I needed to include it so it will help get the plot for the sequel going. Anywho!**

**Amisara- Oooh! A new reader! Welcome Aboard the Manwathiel Express ™! Hehe! Yea, I was in a slump then. That was when I would only get one review a chapter sometimes. But now I realize that as long as I enjoy it, I should keep doing it. (Unless it comes to the point where it is so bad and it is taken down. Lol) I'll try to work on that problem. I've been told that before and I am trying my best. -- Sigh. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Nice pen name, by the way! **

**corina- Sorry I forgot to thank you last time! I was doing it differently then I usually do and I just skipped right over you. :( . Thanks for the compliments! Hope to hear from you again!**

**HyperSquishy- Look who's back! I thought you left or something. Lol. And you are correct, silly elves. I guess I will eventually do something with them but it will be looong. Hehe. And, of course, there will be problems! This story includes angst. Just look at my bio. Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Great to hear from you again!**

**Jousting Elf With a Sabre- HA! If she knew you said that, she would be most honored! She enjoys the Dark Side. Lol. Yea, that sounds good. You start it though, okay? So I know what you want to do with it. And I am starting to get into Star Wars now so maybe I will be able to help a little! I'm still a Tolkien Geek all the way though. I shall not be converted! MUAHAHA! Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing! By the way, I am getting to the part with your character! It won't be posted for a little while but it is getting there!**

**Lasien- LOL! Well, that is a new one. I have thought about her trying to 'snag a prince' and I still am but I'm not sure yet. Hehe. My friend that it is based off of would probably kill me though. She doesn't like Legolas. . I don't know what it wrong with her. Lol. And yes! A blossoming romance! Finally! Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- Hehe. Lol. I know. The girls in these romance stories are so lucky, aren't they::kicks all the girls: HOW DARE YOU! Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Lol, I know. That would be interesting, eh? Hehe. Yea, I know I should start updating more often and it bugs me to death but I am so busy at school right now. My teachers have been loading me project after project. Sometimes four at a time and they all just HAPPEN to be due on the same day. Heh. I think they do it on purpose. . Curse those teachers! I will try harder next time. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Vanaloth- I forgot you, too! Gah! Stupid me. Forgive me, please. Yea, poor guy. -- OH WELL! It is fun! Hehe. Nah, I love him to death. If anything really happened to him, I would die. (He exists! He lives in my room and eats my pizza! And so does Norui! CURSE THEM!) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**OKAY! That is all! School is out in about 10 days and then I will be FREEE! Hopefully quicker updates, too! Thank you all so much for reading!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	25. Tremors that Shake the Body and Heart

**Lookie at who is here! I didn't get a good turnout last chapter but oh well. I hope you like this one. **

**XXXXXX**

Chapter 25- Tremors that Shake the Body and Heart

Jaimea locked her gaze with Legolas's. He frowned worriedly at her, then turned to watch Turwaithiel's fleeting form. Without another word, the company continued to ride.

Soon, the horses became restless and nervous. They could sense the oncoming storm and the riders had difficulty keeping them calm. Turwaithiel still rode far ahead of them, never looking back, but even from where they were they could feel tension and annoyance radiating off of her.

It was now almost black. The sunlight had been cut off from them. A strong, cold breeze blew through the plains and it began to drizzle. The riders could see the breath in front of them and their whole bodies were cold, though the elves couldn't feel it. Finally, they saw the lady pull back on her stallion and circle slowly back towards them and they stopped. She approached them at a brisk trot. Her pale cheeks had turned a rosy red. Uhako, her horse, was breathing heavily and walking with shaky legs.

"I am sorry," She said, "But I must say this again. I strongly feel that it is necessary for us to find shelter.:

"What makes you think this will be a large storm, milady?" Mithrandir asked.

"My lord, I have never seen the skies like this!" She exclaimed, almost desperately, "I am begging you to find shelter!" Mithrandir didn't respond. He affixed her with a piercing gaze and she quickly looked away.

She smirked when she met eyes with Jaimea.

"Lady Jaimea, what do you think?" She asked, "Do you think we should seek out cover?" The elleth didn't respond but glared at the woman before her, clenching and unclenching her fists in her mare's mane.

"You, so far, have not made any decisions for this party. It seems more like you are luggage then an actual benefit for this group." Turwaithiel continued bitterly. Jaimea's glare did not falter.

"Lady Turwaithiel?" Mithrandir questioned but she ignored the Istar.

"To me, Jaimea," She spat out her name, "The only thing you have done is cause delay and pain."

The elleth's face fell and she looked down to her hands. She could feel the woman's gaze on her head but it was gone when she heard step in front of her. She glanced up quickly and smiled when she saw it was the golden haired prince. He sat straight up on his mount, anger and protectiveness pulsating around him. He ground his teeth together in frustration, his normally caring eyes now an icy glare.

Turwaithiel snorted, eyeing Legolas suspiciously, then turned away. The ellon heard Jaimea sigh and he turned around to face her, wearing a worried frown. The elleth smiled slightly at him, nodding her thanks.

"Well," Turwaithiel began, "We have not gotten any further. Either way, I am going to search for shelter."

"How can we trust that you will come back?" Arwen asked as she brushed away a few drops of rain from her cheeks.

"Have I done anything that would cause you to loose your trust for me?" She responded and no one spoke up. Jaimea glanced at Legolas again but he shook his head to the negative, giving her a warning glare, "So, is everyone going to follow me?" A few heads nodded and she smiled, "Good! Now, there is a-"

"Wait!"

Turwaithiel spun in her seat to glare at the one who had spoken. Her glare became even more fierce when she saw that it was Legolas again. She growled.

"Yes, Legolas?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Do not follow her!" He exclaimed, "Look at the sky! The storm is still far off and we can continue on!"

Once again, the stallion of Turwaithiel flattened his ears. He pawed at the ground and chewed on his bit in agitation. The lady atop seemed to share his exasperation.

"Let us ride on until the storm is right at our heels. It will save time; I know it will!" He gazed around at all of his companions. Some held annoyance in their eyes and others held understanding. Norui moved his horse towards his brother.

"Legolas," He began quietly, "There is no shelter out on the plains. If this storm is bigger then it appears, we might run into trouble." Legolas looked at him with desperate eyes.

"Please, brother, give me a chance," He said, "Please."

The Crown Prince sighed.

"Oh, Legolas…" He rolled his eyes and nodded, "Alright, my brother, I shall follow you but I cannot command the others to do so as well." He said softly and the young prince smiled, nodding.

"Thank you." He said. Norui smiled as he turned towards his sisters.

"But I do command you to come." He said with a smirk and the two moaned.

"We do not want to come, Norui! We wish to follow Lady Turwaithiel." Lothron complained and Melyanna nodded in agreement. The Crown Prince sighed.

"You two are so stubborn. Why do I even bother?" He shook his head and brushed away the rain from his eyes, "Alright, stay. Legolas and I will go along with anyone who wishes to follow."

No one spoke and the two princes glanced around at the companions. There was a sudden loud crack of thunder and the horses cried out nervously but remained in place.

"Well, I guess that settles it. It looked like it is just us two." Norui said, "But I would like to see a map before we leave so we may arrange a meeting place." Turwaithiel nodded.

"Alright." She swung off her horse and began rummaging through her saddle bags. She pulled out a tattered piece of yellow parchment, only the thick, curling lines identifying it as a map. There were various holes burnt and torn into it and it threatened to fall apart from the heavy creases. Norui then hopped off Urúvion and stood beside her. She opened the parchment carefully and immediately started explaining.

Legolas watched his brother for a little while but then slipped over to Jaimea again. She sat on her mare, staring nervously at the swirling, gray clouds. He brought Cuilpantiel up beside and touched the elleth's arm gently but she didn't respond. She was too busy watching the storm.

"Jaimea?" He whispered.

"Yes?" She replied shakily, still not meeting his gaze. He moved his hand to her cheek and brought her head to look at him. He smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb, then replaced it back on his mare's mane. She smiled at him.

"Will you come with us?" He asked, causing her to become flustered.

"W-Well, I don't know…" Legolas frowned at this, "I don't like storms, as you know. I don't think I would be comfortable and-" The prince cut her off by placing two fingers on her lips.

"Please?" He asked simply, cupping her cheek again. Jaimea sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch. Immediately, she felt heat rise up her neck to her cheeks where he held her and she shot up ramrod straight. Legolas frowned at her, curiosity radiating from his sapphire eyes. She looked down to her hands again, shying away from his touch.

"Are you going to join us?" He asked again and she looked up hesitantly.

"Why should I?" She asked, "Turwaithiel was right. I have done nothing but delay." Legolas frowned.

"Do not think like that. I want you to come because I just do."

"But why?" She questioned and his frown deepened but he didn't answer, "Well?" She asked expectantly. The prince looked back to his brother who was still discussing with Turwaithiel. He could tell that Norui was irritated with something but he wasn't sure what, "Legolas?"

He looked back to the elleth and sighed. He moved Cuilpantiel next to Jaimea, close enough that their legs touched, and he leaned over to whisper something in her ear.

"I do not trust Turwaithiel, as you know, and I do not want you to be with her. I do not want you to be hurt." He said. Jaimea shivered when his breath tickled her ear and she inhaled sharply, "I want you to be with me."

"Legolas!" Norui shouted suddenly as he hopped up on his stallion. The younger prince looked over at him.

"One moment!" He shouted in return. The Crown Prince nodded and then pulled out the old map to study it again. Legolas turned back to Jaimea, "Please, Jaimea, come with Norui and I. I would be able focus better if I knew you were safe." He said hurriedly. The elleth sighed and looked at him slowly.

"I suppose I could…" She said and the ellon grinned.

"Thank you." He said happily and took her hand in his, then brought it to his lips. A slight tinge of pink crept up on her cheeks and Legolas grinned wider. He turned his horse around and motioned for her to follow as he trotted over to his brother. He frowned when he saw that she stayed. She had a glazed look over her eyes and the prince stopped, "Jaimea?"

She shook her head, as if clearing her mind, and smiled. He smiled back and watched as she trotted up to Norui as well.

The Crown Prince looked up from the map and smiled brightly. She nodded, answering the question he was thinking, and he gave her a grin identical to his brother's. He took one last glance at the map and then carefully folded It up and shoved it in his pack.

"Let us get moving now. We want to cover as much ground as possible." He said.

"As should we." Turwaithiel added. Without another word, she spurred Uhako on the flanks and with a whinny, he darted off. The group exchanged glances with the three that were being left behind and then quickly rode off in the trail of the lady.

As soon as Turwaithiel disappeared over a hill, Norui sighed exasperatedly and ran his hand through his mahogany hair.

"Let us move." He said and urged Urúvion into a canter shortly followed by the other two.

Soon, the two groups appeared as black dots on the horizon to each other. The storm still drew closer to them and the light drizzle had turned into a heavy rain. All sunlight had been stripped away from the sky and dark shadows crossed the faces of the travelers like horrible scars. The once dry earth was now thick with mud and the horses stumbled frequently but they did not stop.

Norui seemed to know where he was going as he led them. He never stopped the whole fifteen miles that he had them push through. He would occasionally look back at the them but all he could make out were dark shapes in the unyielding rain. He sighed and rubbed the water off his face and pushed some hair that stuck to his face behind his pointed ear.

'Perhaps we should stop.' He thought. He heard someone come to a stop next to him and he glanced over.

"Norui?" Legolas had to shout through the rain, "Are you alright? Why did you stop?" The Crown Prince shrugged it off.

"I am fine," He responded, "But how are you and Jaimea?"

"I am fine but I think Jaimea is tired. Her horse appears exhausted as well." Legolas said as he glanced over his shoulder. The elleth did indeed lag behind and she was almost lost in the steady curtain of rain. Norui sighed.

'I have been sighing a lot, lately,' He thought with a sad smile, then spoke aloud, "Go back to her and do anything you can to get her to catch up." He said and the young prince nodded. With a word to his mare, he cantered carefully and slowly back to the elleth.

Jaimea's head hung and she leaned over the mare's neck. Her hands barely held onto the drenched mane. The horse's hooves dragged tiredly in the mud and its head hung low as well. The elleth looked up slightly as she heard the elf approach her. She could barely make him out except for the glowing of his sapphire eyes. He walked up next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She met his caring gaze.

"Jaimea, are you alright?" He asked and she nodded slightly, "Are you tired?"

"Yes," She croaked, "I do not think I have ever been this exhausted." Legolas smiled sympathetically.

"It will pass once we find the time to sleep." He said reassuringly.

"When will that be?" She asked and his smile faltered.

"I am sorry but we cannot stop. At least, not yet." He said apologetically and he heard her groan quietly, "I am sorry." He said again. Jaimea sighed softly and nudged her mare softly but Legolas caught her arm. She looked at him with a confused expression and he smiled sheepishly.

"If you are that tired and you don't mind parting with your mount for a while, we could…well, if you want to, I mean…" He trailed off when he saw her smile at him.

"That would be very kind of you, Legolas." The prince grinned at her and swung off his horse. The mud splattered up his leggings to his knees and he wrinkled his nose in annoyance, emitting a small laugh from the she-elf. He gave her a warm smile, then moved in front of the mare. He rested his forehead on the horse's and mumbled some quiet elvish words, then stepped away and moved to Jaimea's side. She leaned forward and slid off the mare but stumbled in the thick mud.

Legolas quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up before she could fall. She moaned softly.

"My limbs ache, Legolas, can't I just sleep here?" She asked, her eyelids drooping. The prince tightened his grip on her, pulling her tight to him. He kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger longer then necessary, then rested her head on his chest.

"No, Hiril-nín, not now. You may sleep as we ride if you can. But you must stay awake for a few moments more." (My lady) He said. She moaned quietly and nodded, sitting up again.

In one swift motion, he sat her up on the horse and she clutched the mare's mane tightly until he swung himself up behind her. He removed his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Rest now," He said, "Cuilpantiel can bear the two of us and your mare will follow at her own pace." Jaimea nodded. She leaned fully against his chest and put her head by the crook of his neck.

"Where is Espenshade?" She managed to whisper before they moved again.

"Hush, Jaimea. She is safe in my pack. Sleep." He said but the elleth had already dozed off. The prince smiled before clucking to the mare and they rode off to meet Norui.

The Crown Prince smiled when he saw the two together. Jaimea's face was buried in Legolas's golden mane and his cloak was wrapped closely around her. The young prince had his arm wrapped securely yet gently around her waist and he wore a small smile on his lips. The elleth's eyes had closed in sleep as is the way with elves if they suffer injury or fatigue.

"Are you ready?" Norui asked with a playful tone and Legolas grinned.

"Yes, my brother." With that, they urged their mounts on and were soon lost in the rain again.

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Turwaithiel curses and ground her teeth together as she pulled herself out of the mud. Her brown tresses were soaked and now partially coated in the sludge. Uhako pranced nervously about as he, too, had to struggle through the mud and rain. The lady pulled herself up and glared at the stallion, then snatched the reins roughly in her hands.

"You are going to regret this moment." She hissed and continued to pull him along.

After walking a little more, seven more horses came into view. Just as Uhako was, they danced nervously in the pouring rain, whinnying in fear. Turwaithiel tied the stallion to a rock that jetted out from the cliff they had decided to stop at.

She pulled her hood down as she entered the crevice in the rock wall. It was barely big enough for them all to squeeze in comfortably. Once they all had arrived, the twins immediately began trying to start a fire while the others were wringing out their clothing. The lady sighed as she glanced around.

The cave was shallow but extended up to a great height. One could hear the high pitched squeaking of the bats if they listened close enough. The ground was coated in sharp pebbles and the occasional small bone of a bird or rabbit.

Elladan and Elrohir tried desperately with the fire but the logs were too saturated with water. Finally, though reluctantly, Mithrandir stepped forward and created a bright green flame from the gnarled staff he always carried. They all laid out their blankets close to the fire and spread their extra clothes on the floor to let them dry.

Once she was settled, Turwaithiel took from her pack an assortment of maps and other pieces of parchment. She grumbled when they threatened to break apart from being drenched. The others watched her curiously when she would shuffle through the papers and mumble some names of places that they had heard of and some they had not. Finally, she let her gaze on one of the maps and she moved everything else aside. After studying it for a moment, she placed it in the middle of the group and placed one long finger on one spot.

"This," She said, "Is where we are." Thick, black lines were drawn intricately to illustrate the areas between Dunland and the realm of Gondor. The Misty Mountains cut between the center of the page as well as the White Mountains. The Gap of Rohan was the center of the map. Her finger was placed on the southern end of the Misty Mountains on a place called Dol Baran.

The others gathered around and studied it, estimating the distance they still had to travel. Their eyes widened in shock once they had calculated. Mithrandir furrowed his brow.

"My lady, are you sure that is correct?" He inquired and she nodded.

"Indeed, it is, my lord."

"But we could not have possibly traveled such a great distance in a short amount of time." He took a puff from his pipe and dragged the map towards him. He placed a finger on the northern area, "Rivendell is right here," He said, then trailed down towards their present spot, "And here is Dol Baran. If I am not mistaken, that is a distance of…" He raised his bushy eyebrows and stared at Turwaithiel in bewilderment, "Five hundred and forty miles." The lady's eyes glittered as she smirked at the Istar.

"That is correct, Mithrandir, we are more then half way to the city of the Muruién." The wizard stared hard at the woman in wonder. After all of the distractions and detours, they had made remarkable time.

Excitement and joy radiated from the others. They had set out but ten days ago and already they were closer to rescuing Thranduil, Glithiel and all of the other elves that had been controlled by the Muruién. Lothron and Melyanna had to bite their lips to keep from bursting out with joy. The twins were grinning at each other while Estel and Arwen smiled at each other, clasping their hands together. Mithrandir still continued to study the map, quite perplexed, but a small smile had formed on his lips.

"How did we accomplish such a thing?" Mithrandir asked, "Have we done that much without noticing?"

"Yes and no." Turwaithiel answered, then stood to retrieve her write staff from the corner. She leaned heavily on it and gently blew against the feathers so that they twirled around. After a moment, she looked towards them with a slight frown, "Some magic is at work though I do not know if it is for good or for evil."

The company looked between each other anxiously. Perhaps whatever it was, they wanted the group to make it there quickly. But that one could have also wanted to lead them to their deaths.

"How can you sense this magic?" Lothron asked.

"It is a power familiar to me for I have heard of it before."

"What is it?"

"I cannot tell you." Turwaithiel said with finality in her tone. They all shared worried glances and returned to their own business. The once joyous moment had turned dark and worrying again. Mithrandir continued staring at the intricate map.

The wind picked up outside and it howled past the mouth of the crevice like a pack of howling wolves. The rain drops became bigger and faster as the dark clouds they fell from began to swirl and rotate. Much to their surprise and worry, hail began to pelt down on the earth as well. Estel sat by the opening and stared out into the blackness. He forehead was creased as he watched the ice balls become larger and more frequent.

"This hail is very unusual," He said, "Very rarely is it seen this far south." Arwen approached him quietly from behind and rested her head on his shoulder.

"That is true, Estel. 'Tis very strange, indeed." The human wrapped his arms around the elleth's waist, pulling her close. She smiled as her forehead brushed up against his chin. A faint stubble was beginning to grow.

"How do you think Norui and Legolas are faring?" Estel asked.

"I am sure they are fine." Arwen replied, "All three of them." He nodded.

"I hope so."

There was a sudden gust and the trees bent in the wind. The two lovers' hair whipped wildly around them and they clutched onto each other if they would blow away. The birds cried frantically as they searched desperately for a shelter. The horses that were tied whinnied and reared in fear, trying to break their ropes.

The others came running to the sudden outburst from the creatures. Elladan and Elrohir put a comforting hand on their siblings' shoulders. The two princesses gazed out into the blackness and their thoughts strayed not the first time to their brothers. The Istar gripped his staff and Turwaithiel was wide eyed. She cried out suddenly.

"Ai! 'Tis worse then I imagined!" She dashed out of the cave, paying no heed to the other's calling. She brought a knife from her belt and quickly severed the rope restraining Uhako. He reared in panic and she sprang upon his back. With a cry, the stallion bolted and quickly disappeared in the rain. The group called out to her but she never returned.

They were about to follow her example and run but suddenly a tremor ran through the earth. The froze in their steps, eyes wide and hearts pounding. Another tremor boomed and the crying of the horses increased. There was an ear-splitting crack and they all looked out into the distance with fearful eyes.

**XXXXXX**

**Muahaha! Cliffhanger! I hope you liked this one! And wow! Look at quickly it was done! I am so proud! Hehe. **

**Lasien- LOL! I know, isn't she nuts? And she likes Dominic! YICK! He is a good actor but…eww. Lol. Not a horse? Well, a horse is a horse, of course. Lol. Good thought though. I like knowing what my readers think is going to happen. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- Aw, I made you feel bad? I'm sorry. What did I do? I went through it but I couldn't find anything that would upset someone. Hmm…was it the fact that they slept together? Hehe. I'm glad you still like it, though. Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Hehe, I am delighted that you liked that part. I actually put a lot of effort into it to be sure it didn't seem corny or whatever. Lol. And thanks in advance for the review on 'Call of the Red Bird' and for being a faithful reviewer and reader for it! I'm glad I can put a smile on your face. :sings "Put a smile on! Put a smile on! Everybody, come on!": lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Thank you everyone! I am so glad you read this! Also, one thing. If there is anyone out there who is reading this but doesn't review, could you try to review at least once before the end? I want to make a final chapter thanking everyone who read it and reviewed and everything. Thanks a million! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	26. By the Fire

**Hello! I am here! Hope you liked the last chapter! And I am out of school! Yay! It's about time, too! Wee! Okay, chapter!**

**And I finished another notebook, too! Yay! This has been a good week for me! Okay, here we go!**

**XXXXXXXX**

Chapter 26- By the Fire

Norui's head shot up and he gazed around as the ground shook beneath him. Amidst the hail and rain, he could make out his brother who still carried Jaimea in his arms. Urúvion shrieked when another tremor boomed and the prince whispered some soothing words to the agitated horse. The wind whistled past his face and stung his skin. He looked back and saw Legolas come to a halt and look behind him. Jaimea had awoken before and they were whispering some words to each other. Putting his hand over his eyes to try and block the water and hail, the Crown Prince looked up and focused on the clouds.

The black masses spun and they gathered to one area in the sky. They swirled together, creating a monstrous funnel. A great roar filled the land and all three of the elves cried out, covering their ears.

"Legolas!" Norui shouted desperately, "Legolas, come-" He stopped. His faced turned from worry to the expression of pure terror. His breathing quickened, "Legolas, move!" He shouted as he kicked Urúvion in the ribs and he sped off.

The power funnel touched down onto the ground. Plants and trees were ripped from the ground mercilessly and were lost in the swirling mass. The riders shouted and kicked their mounts frantically, not wanting to be caught up in the vicious winds.

Legolas could feel his mare's heart pounding throughout her body and his imitated it. Espenshade trembled in the elf's pack and she screeched in terror. The young prince glanced back with wide eyes. A tornado was quickly gaining on them. He looked down to Jaimea. Her eyes were clenched tight, tears streamed down her cheeks and her mouth was open as if screaming but no noise was coming out. He could hear his brother shouting at him to move faster but Cuilpantiel was weakening. There was no way they could make it out of this.

'This is all my fault.' He thought.

"Legolas!" Jaimea screeched suddenly and he came back to reality, looking ahead of him again. His heart fell even more.

Not forty feet ahead of them, the plains dropped into a large gorge. He saw Norui jump across and he barely made it to the other side.

"We'll never make it." The young prince breathed. Without thinking, he swung his pack off his shoulders and fastened it on Jaimea's back. He bumped her forward with his body and leaned over to her ear, "Hold on tight." He whispered and she nodded. The elleth leaned forward over the mare's neck, gripping tight onto her soft mane.

Norui stood on the other side waiting anxiously for the two. The stallion pranced nervously and whinnied in fright. The ellon met his brother's gaze for a split second and gasped, knowing full well of what he was planning to do.

"Don't you even think it!" He shouted but it was too late.

The youngest prince gripped hard on Jaimea's navy blue riding gown, staring straight ahead. Once they were within twenty feet of the gap, he quickly kissed the elleth's shoulder and threw himself off the mare.

"Legolas!" Jaimea shouted as he rolled onto the ground. Cuilpantiel suddenly picked up speed at the loss of weight and leapt across the gap with ease. The prince stopped to watch but quickly picked himself up and he ran along the edge of the gap, trying to find a place to jump over.

Norui's heart leapt and he followed Legolas's path on the opposite side, Jaimea not far behind. The storm no longer mattered to them, so intent they were on getting Legolas back to them. The funnel steadily grew closer to the elves. The horses grew even more panicked and the riders had trouble controlling them.

But Norui's eyes remained on Legolas. It would be folly for the youngest prince to jump without a horse and the older ellon couldn't jump back over. But he continued to follow his brother. There was a huge gust of wind and debris blocked his sight.

The Crown Prince shouted for him but his voice was lost in the roaring wind. He continued to cry out for him but he never heard a response. He coughed and the dust caked the inside of his mouth and throat. He closed his eyes tight and covered his mouth with his dust covered arm.

"Legolas!" He wheezed but the wind was too powerful. He heard Jaimea calling out his name and he tried desperately to return to her. He found her in the same condition as he and he shouted to her, "Let us go!" He urged Urúvion on and they moved as fast as they could out of the storm.

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Legolas wheezed when he landed on his back. He arched his back, coughing, and slowly rolled to his side. The storm wasn't around him anymore but he heard it above him. He opened his eyes and found that he had fallen in a deep hole. He could barely make out his brother calling for him amidst the raging winds and rain. He tried to call back but his mouth and throat were dry. It came out in only a hoarse whisper.

Slowly and with much pain, he pulled himself from the opening but it didn't go very far in. He wrapped his arms around his knees and put his head down to block his eyes.

He sat like this for what seemed like hours to him. The howling died down and a small beam of light peeked into the cave. The prince lifted his head and crawled to the opening. The sky was blue once more and the clouds had disappeared. Even some birds were chirping in the sky.

Legolas groaned and pulled himself to his feet. He jumped and caught the top of the hole, then slowly lifted himself out of the hole. As soon as he made it to the top, he promptly laid back down. The land was so covered in the dust and debris that the elf could barely recognize it.

"Legolas!" His head shot up and he gazed around. No one. He sighed and shook his head, "Legolas!" Someone called again and the prince leapt up. On the other side of the cliff, two figures rode on horses and they shouted out his name.

"Norui!" Legolas managed to shout but winced in pain, grabbing his throat.

"Legolas! Where are you?" The Crown Prince shouted back. The ellon coughed.

"Over here!" He shouted waved his arms in the air. The other two were quickly on the side in an instant.

"You are an idiot!" Norui shouted laughingly as he hopped form Urúvion's back, "What were thinking?" Legolas smirked and glanced over at Jaimea. Her hair was matted down with dust and her clothes were wrapped wildly around her. The prince's pack was still where he put it and Espenshade's head poked out of the top of it. The elleth stared back at him with a dazed look, "How are we going to get you back over here?"

As if on cue, the sound of clapping hooves and a whinny rang through the air. They squinted to see a horse galloping towards them.

"Anfalas!" Jaimea shouted, recognizing the mare as her own, and Legolas took the opportunity. He ran towards the horse, hands outstretched, and grabbed a fistful of mane. He was swept off his feet and he swung onto the horse's back. The mare took no notice and leapt across the gap. She came to the other side but stumbled, throwing the elf off, then continued running. Norui sprinted towards him and kneeled beside him, slapping his face gently.

"Legolas, wake up!" He exclaimed. The young prince didn't say anything but he opened his eyes slowly and managed a small grin. The Crown Prince growled while trying to contain his laughter, "You want to die!" He said laughingly. Norui pulled him to his feet by his collar, then began dusting him off. Legolas laughed and pushed him away.

"Come on, Norui, just give me some water and then we must be off."

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"Can we get up now?"

"No! We must wait for Mithrandir's consent."

"But I think he has fallen asleep and his cloak smells disgustingly like pipeweed!"

Estel growled and elbowed his two brothers.

"Shut up!" He hissed and the twins fell silent. Occasionally, once would grunt in annoyance or move around more then was necessary. Finally, Estel shouted in aggravation and sprang up from the ground. Elladan and Elrohir popped up as well, grinning like idiots.

"Rise and shine!" They exclaimed in a sing song voice. One by one, the others emerged from their cover and glanced around. The earth was even more barren then before. The shrubs were all covered or torn away completely. All living things seemed to have vanished and they were the only ones left. Even the horses were gone.

"Well, now what?" Melyanna questioned to no one in particular.

"I am not sure, my lady." Mithrandir replied as he dusted off his gray robes, "This new information about our location has left me baffled." The old wizard closed his eyes in deep thought and mumbled some incoherent words. The group watched him expectantly, "If we are indeed at Dol Baran, then Isengard should be right over the mountain. Estel and I will go to see."

The two left and the others sat around, talking of their predicament. Not an hour later, then two appeared again quite out of breath.

"It is as I thought," Mithrandir began, "We found the pinnacle of Orthanc before we even came to the feet of the mountain."

"What are we to do, though? We have no horses, Lady Turwaithiel is gone again and we have three companions on their own. We do not even know how they fare." Arwen said as she took her place next to the human.

"Before we parted, Norui and Lady Turwaithiel made an agreement to meet on the southern most side of the Gap of Rohan. As long as they are still well, they will continue to that point." The wizard replied, "And I do not doubt that they survived."

Much did they argue about what to do and how Norui, Legolas and Jaimea were. Some thought that they should look for them immediately and others thought that they should continue to the meeting place. It did not even cross their minds to look for Turwaithiel. Finally, they decided to continue on foot and pray that they would meet up with the others on the way or at the meeting area.

They did not see foe, or any creature for that matter, on the path and they did not stop until the sun began to sink behind the mountains to the west. Stars began to spring up in the night sky and the elves took joy upon the sight of the star of Eärendil. And, unknown to them, their absent companions looked upon the light just as they did.

The group stopped and made camp in the open. The twins and their foster brother stayed up the whole night to keep watch. Nothing disturbed them and they slept peacefully though their dreams were filled with gleaming red and yellow eyes peering at them from the darkness.

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The fire crackled as another log was placed in it. The flames quickly swallowed the wood and licked at is hungrily. Norui sat back down next to Legolas who was chewing thoughtfully on his _lembas_. Jaimea sat next to him with her blanket around her shoulders, as well as the youngest prince's, staring into the hot embers.

The Crown Prince wiped his hands on his leggings and then grabbed a piece of the waybread. The horses nickered softly from their place where they were trying to find any traces of grass. The stars were shining brightly from the dark sky and the moon smiled upon the three elves.

They ate in silence, staring into the flickering flames. Norui would occasionally glance at the elleth from the corner of his eye with a frown. She had not said a word since they had almost lost Legolas again. All she had done was sigh and she had a distant look in her eyes. The prince wasn't sure if Legolas had noticed or only didn't pay attention to her so he called him over.

"Legolas?" He whispered and the golden haired elf scooted next to him.

"Yes?" He whispered back.

"Have you noticed Jaimea acting strangely?" He asked and Legolas nodded.

"I have yet I do not know why."

"Perhaps you should talk to her?" Norui suggested.

"Why me?"

"Because you have a stronger bond with her." Legolas opened his mouth to retort but Norui held up his hand, cutting him off, "Do not deny it. You two are always together, it seems. First, you bring her on this mission, then you save her from the wargs. Somehow, you healed her back to health and you slept with her in a tree," Legolas blushed at that but his brother did not notice, "You asked her to come with us again and then you rode together. I think that is enough proof." He finished, smirking triumphantly. The young prince ground his teeth together and nodded.

"Alright, I will talk to her once you have gone to sleep." Norui nodded and turned his attention back to the fire.

Legolas fingered the small piece of waybread still in his hand. His mind raced, trying to think of what to say. He sighed and kneaded his forehead with two fingers, then began to nibble on the bread again.

They sat together for a little while longer. The fire had died to small embers but no one made a move to feed its greedy tongue. Norui gave Legolas a small smirk and the golden haired prince rolled his eyes.

"I think I am going to rest now." The Crown Prince said, "Wake me if you need anything." He lay down on his blanket, crossing his arms over his chest. He soon fell into a dreamless slumber.

Legolas looked over to Jaimea. Her eyes were still fixed on the small fire and her eyes were distant as if she was contemplating endlessly yet getting no where. Checking to be sure Norui was truly asleep, he slowly moved over to the elleth. She paid no attention.

"Jaimea?" He said softly. She didn't respond and he frowned, "Jaimea, are you alright?" After a moment, she inhaled sharply and slowly met his gaze. Legolas smiled warmly at her and she returned it with her own.

"I am fine, Legolas."

"Are you sure?" She nodded and looked back to the fire. Silence reigned once more. Very slowly, Legolas moved himself closer to her so that their knees touched. He reached out and turned her face to look at him, "I do not believe you." She blushed slightly.

"It is you." She said softly and his frown deepened.

"Have I harmed you?"

"No, it is what you did." She began, "You risked your life for mine when you jumped off of that horse. You put me before yourself." Legolas smiled.

"I care for you, Jaimea, and I would have done it for anyone." The elleth smiled slightly.

"Everyone?" She asked and the prince smirked.

"Well, almost everyone. Him not included." He said jokingly, motioning towards his brother. Norui sighed softly in his sleep and rolled to face them. The elleth laughed quietly as not to wake him and smiled brightly at the young prince.

"I, um, I like your laugh." Legolas said quietly as a pink tinge traveled up to the points of his ears. Jaimea hesitated for a moment, then leaned over quickly and place a kiss on his cheek. His blush deepened to a cherry red. She smiled at him, her own embarrassment showing on her cheeks, but her smile soon faltered.

"You are a prince. You will forever be more important than I yet it did not matter to you." Humor and happiness left them once again and Legolas fond himself brushing his knuckles gently along her cheek.

"No, that is not true. We are equal. I am no more important then you are."

Jaimea leapt towards suddenly and wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face in his chest. The prince quickly returned it, bringing his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap.

"You are so caring, Legolas. I do not know what I did to deserve your kindness." She whispered. He chuckled.

"Well, for one, you helped stitch up my belly. I think it is healed now." Legolas replied with a smile and they both laughed quietly. They soon sobered, "But you did nothing to deserve it except by giving me the opportunity to meet you and being kind to me as well. I am grateful."

The two elves stayed in each other's arms for a few moments longer. The prince ran his fingers through her hair gently and he sighed. He inhaled her scent and his heart and stomach fluttered. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and kissed her nape chastely. His heart raced when she kissed his nape as well and he hummed deeply in his throat. Immediately, his blush returned but the elleth paid no attention. Finally, they separated and smiled at each other. Legolas grinned foolishly and she laughed quietly. He gave her a noisy kiss on the cheek, bringing even louder laughs.

Norui mumbled something and the two elves were able to catch something that sounded like 'yes, milady' and 'feels nice'. They both struggled to keep their laughter hidden and they stared back at the fire.

Jaimea rested her head on Legolas's shoulder as he moved his legs apart for them to both sit more comfortably. The prince put his arms around her waist again and put his chin on her shoulder, grinning. She smiled and they remained silent. Only the ashes glowed bright orange now and they were almost shrouded in complete darkness. Occasionally, he would tickle her and she would laugh or vice versa. Once this stopped, they were quiet again.

"Legolas?" Jaimea asked shyly after a while.

"Hmm, yes?" He replied. The elleth shivered when his breath brushed against her sensitive ear.

"I want to thank you." She said.

"For what?"

"For everything," Jaimea said, "Everything that you have done for me." She could feel him smiling.

"I do not understand but you are welcome nonetheless." He said. When he didn't say anything more, the elleth furrowed her brow and turned to face him. He smiled curiously at her.

"Legolas, I said that I wanted to thank you."

"But you already did." He said, somewhat confused.

"No, I want to _thank you_." She repeated. He furrowed his brow.

"But-" He stopped mid-sentence when he realized what she meant, "Oh…" He breathed. His heart was already pounding and he feared that Jaimea felt it. Jaimea's eyes glazed over as she leaned forward. Even she noticed that she was being particularly bold but both elves were too wrapped up to notice or care.

"May I thank you?" She asked quietly.

"Will it be innocent?" He asked, slightly deeper then normal. The elleth nodded once.

"As innocent as you choose it to be." She replied. Legolas closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to clear his muddled brain. Finally, he nodded slowly.

"Then yes, you may thank me."

Jaimea placed her hands on his chest and smiled when she felt the rapid beating of his heart. Her breath tickled his lips and he trembled, falling back onto his elbows. The elleth fell with him, putting their lips onto centimeters apart.

And before the elleth could close the gap, Legolas whispered, "This is innocent."

Their lips met and they both inhaled sharply. They stared into each other's wide eyes for a moment before finally relaxing. Legolas massaged her mouth with his own and she leaned heavily on his. Fire erupted in their hearts as the kiss gradually became more intense.

"Innocent." He breathed against her lips.

"Innocent." She repeated against him, "Innocent."

Legolas deepened the kiss, shyly bringing his tongue up to trace her bottom lip. She whimpered nervously but opened her mouth for him. He moaned loudly and explored her mouth and she did the same to him. He grabbed her head and pushed it hard against his, then rolled so she was underneath him. She gasped and pulled away slightly. He frowned.

"This is innocent, right?" She asked once more.

"Yes." He replied huskily. Their lips crashed together and their tongues battled once again. Jaimea moaned, as did he, and their kiss grew.

"What are you doing?"

Jaimea gasped and Legolas leapt back, feigning innocence. The elleth sat up quickly, blush growing steadily on her face.

"I asked what you are doing."

Legolas glared over at his grinning brother. Norui had himself propped up on his elbow and Espenshade was perched on his shoulder.

"Nothing." The youngest prince responded nervously.

"That looked like something." Norui said, still grinning.

"It wasn't anything." Jaimea said.

"It was all innocent." The prince said. Norui rolled his eyes and sat up completely. The Peregrine falcon sat upon his shoulder again and looked as if she were laughing as well.

"Legolas, don't give me that." He began, "That was definitely something. Only when we are in heated passion do Glithiel and I appear as you two just did." He said. Legolas scowled.

"I'm going to bed." He spat and threw himself down upon the ground. Jaimea followed suit, lying down far from the two ellons. The oldest prince chuckled and lay back down, facing away from them. Espenshade flew off into the night, cackling to herself.

Jaimea touched her swollen lips gingerly. Her whole body shook and her stomach was flipping inside of her body. When they had kissed, she felt something that didn't happen the first time. Fireworks exploded in front of her eyes and her heart felt ready to burst. Jumbled thoughts racked her mind but she was pulled out of them when she heard something shifting around behind her.

The elleth smiled when she felt the youngest prince's arm snake around her waist. He buried his face in her brownish gold mane and showered her nape with kisses. Her eyes began to glaze in sleep when she heard him say, "That was innocent enough." And she lost herself to dreams filled with a certain elven prince.

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Norui sighed worriedly as he glanced over at the sleeping elves. He had been awake the whole time they were 'talking' and even before that. He was happy for his brother, yes, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea for them to get involved during this mission. Too much was at stake and any distraction could prove fatal.

He would have to talk to Legolas about it later, he thought.

He yawned as sleep threatened to take him. He stole one more glance at his brother and friend and then slumber claimed him. Sweet dreams of his beloved back home filled his mind and he saw the wedding he wished would take place and all of the elflings that, together, they would create.

**XXXXX**

**I got some cool information that I just learned today! When I was looking up stuff about the Star of Eärendil, I learned that the star still shines today! We only call it Venus. That is SOOO cool! Hehe!**

**Okay, my reviewers!**

**butterfly-elf- I am glad that you like it! Yea, it is okay. As long as I know you are reading, that makes me happy. Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Welcome to the US of A! Please keep your hands, feet and other body parts inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride! Hehe. No, she isn't in yet BUT I just started writing about her character in my original book! It shan't be long! A couple of chapters or three! Almost there! Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- You are late! I didn't think you were going to review! Hehe, lol. And hey now! I never said that they were wrong! Don't be discouraged! You keep on thinking whatever you want and you will see what was right and what was wrong when it all comes to the end! (If that happens, of course. Ug.) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- LOL! wipes tear of laughter from her eye Oh, that is good! Nominee #1 for the funniest review yet! LOL! Yes, they slept together in the tree! Hah! And now look at them! Poor you! Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- I know, they should have gone with him! I mean, who wouldn't want to be with that hunk of an elf anyways! Crazy people. Lol. Even though most of them were males…hmm…oh well! If I was there, I wouldn't have left him! Anywho, I am glad you like the cute moments! I will try to have more of them just for you in the future! Keep smiling! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**That's about it! See you guys later!**

**Also, if you all are interested and would like a preview of the sequel for this (if this ever gets done, that is) then look up Celine Dion's "When the Wrong One Loves You Right". That should give you a clue to it. ;) Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hoped the romance wasn't…rushed…but it will get better in the next chapter, I promise. See ya!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	27. Reunions

**What's up, ya'll? Hehe. I hope you all liked the last chapter! I think the romance was a bit rushed but I guess that is okay as long as you all like it. Hehe. Enjoy this chapter!**

**XXXXXXX**

Chapter 27- Reunions

The plains were completely quiet and still. The skies were bright and blue yet no birds flew. Not even a breeze blew in the dry land. Everything was silent, undisturbed, that is until a ringing broke the silence.

The companions woke to the clanging of metal against metal. Some growled in annoyance but some were able to sleep through it. When the noise did not cease, some were forced to sit up and wake.

"It is morning!" Elladan sang as he danced around the makeshift camp, beating a spoon against a bowl.

"Time to wake up!" Elrohir laughed. Estel sat on a rock and watched his twin brothers rouse the camp, smiling in amusement.

Suddenly, Melyanna sprang from her blanket with a growl and crashed into Elladan. The ellon fell to the ground with a cry, the elleth on top. She glared at him.

"Do not get on my bad side, Noldor Elf!" She hissed. But much to everyone's surprise, she crashed her lips onto his in a passionate kiss. Elladan tried to wriggle away but his mind was lost on whether to escape or stay to enjoy it. The company laughed and whistled, excluding Mithrandir who just chuckled quietly. After a moment, the princess sat up and glared once more at the older twin. He wore a stupid looking grin and his eyes were glassy.

"I think I should do that more often." He breathed and they all laughed once more.

They quickly made a small breakfast and were on their way again, eating as they walked. Throughout the day, they would often travel at a swift jog and no one would complain about the pace they were taking. Even the old wizard was able to keep up with the younger members of the group. The need to find their three companions had given them the fuel that they needed to continue.

After a few hours of walking, they stopped to take a brief rest. Estel and the twins had gone off to search for any signs of Norui, Legolas and Jaimea. When they returned, they held some interesting information.

"About a half mile away," Estel began, "We stumbled upon a small fire and a midnight black stallion."

"It could be a traveler." Arwen suggested.

"But it is not." The human replied.

"Lady Turwaithiel was asleep by the fire." Elrohir finished for his foster brother. Estel nodded as did Elladan.

"Did you wake her?" Mithrandir asked and they shook their heads.

"Nay, we wanted to be sure that we wanted to continue with her." Estel said.

"Alright," The Istar said, "Let us go find her."

Just as the trackers had said, the distance was only about half a mile. The remainders of a fire appeared before them and a black horse was pawing at the ground. A woman with dark hair lay under a blanket, facing away from them. They slowly made their way towards her.

The stallion suddenly looked up at them with its ears pulled back against its head. They all froze in their tracks, holding their breath. It just stood there staring at them until it shrieked wildly. Turwaithiel leapt up from the ground, a knife in hand. Her eyes were wide and alert but she glared as soon as she saw the group not far from her.

"What do you want?" She spat as she replaced the knife in the sheath. They all exchanged glances before heading down to her.

"We have been looking for Norui, Jaimea and Legolas but we stumbled upon you." Mithrandir said, "We wanted to be sure you were alright." She only shifted her weight onto one leg and crossed her arms, appearing much as what would be considered a teenager in human years.

"Do I look alright?" She asked in annoyance. The wizard's brows rose to his hair line and Estel snorted. Turwaithiel glared at him but then quickly turned back to the Istar.

"Do you still wish to aid us, my lady?" He asked, still giving her a questioning look. She eyed the wizard and then the rest of the group. Finally, she growled and turned to stomp out the embers of her fire. She then bundled up all of her belongings and mounted Uhako. The horse snorted in annoyance but stayed still. Turwaithiel glanced at the others again.

"Where are your horses?" She asked bitterly.

"They ran off in the storm." Lothron replied and the woman's frown deepened.

"Then we must move swiftly." She said and nudged the stallion into a brisk trot. The companions quickly ran after her.

Along the way, Turwaithiel didn't even look back at them. Uhako kept a constant pace and seemed to move without instruction. She led them all day and they never rested. Mithrandir and even Estel began to lag behind. Only the elves could keep up but their breathing was still labored.

As he ran, Estel was reminded of a master driving his slaves endlessly in the scorching heat. Realizing this, he growled angrily but said nothing.

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Jaimea stared straight ahead as she rode atop Cuilpantiel in front of Legolas. His arm was wrapped securely around her waist and she leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heart beat. Norui rode upon Urúvion in front of them. Every once in a while, his shoulders would shake and both elleth and ellon knew that it was laughter. Even the falcon that was normally on the golden-haired prince's shoulder was resting on the Crown Prince's head, cackling quietly to herself as if laughing.

Jaimea's thoughts strayed to the night before. Never before had she felt as she did. Her heart had melted in her chest from his kiss and all feeling left her body. The way he treated her made her feel like her insides were flipping endlessly. True, they had agreed that it was innocent but doubt began to plague her mind. Was it indeed just a 'thank you' as it was intended to be or was it more? There was only one way to find out.

"Legolas?" The elleth asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" He responded quietly.

"What happened last night?" Immediately, she felt his chest constrict and he slowed their mare. Cuilpantiel sighed softly and leaned her neck down to a more comfortable position. Espenshade must have noticed their slow in pace and she screeched, alerting Norui. He looked back at the two and smirked.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked, grinning. Legolas glared.

"We are speaking to each other." He replied hotly, "Not you." Norui's grin grew and he shrugged.

"Alright, don't take too long." He said then trotted off.

The ellon and elleth continued to ride at a slow pace but didn't speak for a while. Jaimea combed her fingers through the mare's soft mane and glanced at the one hand Legolas used to grip onto the hair. The desire to place her hand on top washed over but she quickly shook it off.

"Legolas?"

"I do not know what happened but I do not think it remained innocent as intended." The prince said, "It was not your fault but mine. I lost control. What I did last night contradicted everything that I have said in the past."

"But did you feel anything?" She asked and he paused, as if contemplating his answer.

"No, Jaimea, I did not." He said. The elleth frowned despite herself, "Did you?"

"No." Was her immediate answer, "But what if it was something?" Legolas sighed and pulled Cuilpantiel to a complete halt.

"Nothing happened, Jaimea." Finally, the elleth dared to ask the question that had haunted her mind since that night.

"Was there love?"

"Do you think there was?" He asked and she shook her head.

"I asked you first." There was a brief silence until the prince urged the mare on again at a slow pace.

"No, I do not think there was love. True, I love you but not like a lover would. I love you as a sister, nothing more." He said slowly, "You are the younger sister that I always wanted yet never had."

Jaimea frowned and unconsciously gripped the mane tighter. She was only a sister to him. Even though she didn't know why, a wave of grief passed over her heart as if it were breaking. She quickly dismissed it.

"Do you think there was love?" Legolas asked her.

"No." She said with a tinge of bitterness, "And there never will be."

Legolas flinched slightly at her tone. He sensed the sadness and pain in her voice but he said nothing more about it. It would be best to work out his own thoughts and desires before attempting to help someone else's. He suddenly felt this desire to put his arms around her and kiss her, telling her that everything would be fine but he buried it deep inside himself before he actually took action.

With this to think about, he clucked to Cuilpantiel and they bolted off into a gallop, trying to catch up with the Crown Prince.

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Turwaithiel finally came to a halt and motioned for the others to rest. They all sighed in relief, even the elves, and dropped their packs on the ground. The plopped to the earth and began rummaging for food. The woman took the tack off of Uhako and set them on the ground. The stallion nickered in gratitude and began scraping at the ground for grass.

From one of the saddle bags, she took out the same map she and Norui looked over and set it on the ground. She took a small pack of some bread-like food and chewed on it thoughtfully as she studied the map.

"We have but a few more miles to go before we reach the White Mountains. If we keep up the pace, we should be there by tomorrow." She said out loud though mostly to herself.

"What road shall we take once we find the others?" Estel asked.

"We go east into Rohan at the feet of Ered Nimrais. There is a passage that goes under it that we shall take." Turwaithiel replied, still examining the parchment before her.

"East? But that side of the mountains is teeming with orcs and wargs. West would be the safest path." The human argued. The woman sighed exasperatedly.

"No, my lord, the orcs were driven out by the Rohirrim. It is safe now to take."

Her voice rang with finality and Estel glared at her. She continued to plot out their road, not taking any notice of the others around her.

Within moments, they had packed up again and were continuing at an even faster pace. Turwaithiel continuously urged Uhako on and he did so without fuss. His energy seemed endless, even to the elves, and they envied him. Of course, they quickly thought differently when they realized that the stallion had to carry the woman around and they only had to carry themselves.

"What is the point of driving us endlessly when you said we didn't have much time before we reached the Mountain?" Elladan complained breathlessly.

"You want to save Mirkwood and its people, do you not?" Turwaithiel replied, "And once we do reach the mountain, we still have to travel to the Muruién's city." The ellon didn't say anything more when he saw the pain and hurt etched on Lothron's and Melyanna's faces.

They continued riding and they covered many miles. Only when they heard the piercing screech of a falcon on the hunt did they pause in their run. The two princesses of Mirkwood looked high up into the air. Weaving in and out of the clouds was a golden falcon, screeching for all to hear. The faces of the sisters lit up in recognition. Lothron whistled shrilly and the falcon screeched in reply, then swooped down towards the elleth's outstretched arm.

"Espenshade." The princess breathed in relief and stroked the creature's head.

"That is a good sign." Arwen said.

"Maybe. It could also mean that the others are wounded or worse, though." Lothron replied though it hurt to do so.

Espenshade, meanwhile, had her piercing eyes fixed on Turwaithiel. The falcon's eyes glinted with distrust and hate. The woman returned the glare with a smirk. She cleared her throat, interrupting the discussions the others were having.

"Where did this creature come from?" She asked, gaining a quiet hiss from Espenshade.

"She was given to Legolas a long time ago by our Naneth and one of her closest friends." Melyanna replied, quirking one eye brow.

"How long exactly?" Turwaithiel questioned. The youngest princess tilted her head up to the sky in thought, counting on her fingers.

"It was about fifty years back, I believe, before Naneth died." She replied. Turwaithiel's smirk widened and Espenshade ruffled her feathers in irritation.

"Did you know that the average life span of a falcon of her species is only fifteen years at the most?"

"What are you trying to say?" Mithrandir asked.

"Nothing. I am just curious as to how she has lived so long and how she appears as if she was still an eyasse (1)." She said. Espenshade hissed at the lady and took off from her perch in the direction she came from.

"Espenshade!" Lothron called, "Come back!" The elleth bolted off after the bird and the others quickly ran after her. Turwaithiel glared at the falcon and gritted her teeth. She urged her mount on after them and soon caught up.

"Leave the bird be!" She ordered.

"No, she will take us to Norui and Legolas!" Lothron retorted. Turwaithiel growled in annoyance but followed anyway.

Soon, they heard a shrill whistle and Espenshade veered off her course suddenly. There was another whistle but the falcon paid no attention to it. Finally, someone shouted.

"Espenshade, come back!" A male voice shouted and the faces of the company lit up.

"Legolas!" Lothron yelled and there was a brief pause.

"Lothron?" The voice shouted back.

"Yes! Where are you?"

They suddenly heard the beating of two horses in the distance, followed by a small cloud of dust. Within a moment, two horses came up over a hill to show three elves. They galloped down to the company and the three were soon in the arms of their friends, the falcon forgotten.

"We were so worried!" Melyanna exclaimed as she threw her arms around Norui.

"What happened?" Estel asked.

"Well, Legolas nearly killed himself but other then that," He paused, glancing at Legolas and Jaimea with a smirk, "Nothing too interesting." Norui explained. The two elves glared at him and moved further from each other. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by the twins.

"What happened to those two?" Elladan asked, gesturing to the two.

"Nothing!" Legolas and Jaimea exclaimed in unison. Elrohir smirked.

"Sure." He said. They glared at him and moved even further away.

Throughout this reunion, Turwaithiel stood off to the side, glaring at them. She hopped off of Uhako and draped an arm over her neck.

"They are all here." She hissed quietly in his ear. He snorted in response, pawing at the ground, "It didn't work!" From within the stallion's black eyes, a silver mist began to glow and his ears suddenly stood erect. Turwaithiel gasped and placed her hands over his eyes, "Not now! We need a different plan." The horse's ears slackened and he sighed heavily.

"I have been watching that prince and elleth. Something transpired between them." The woman continued quietly.

Uhako blinked and looked at the two young elves. They stood far from each other but when they were sure the other wouldn't see they would glance at each other nervously. Whether they realized it or not, their eyes showed longing and desire. Turwaithiel turned his head back to face her.

"Don't stare! They will suspect something!" She snapped, "We have to be sure that they continue to long for each other. It will prove to be a weakness later on."

"Lady Turwaithiel, why are you speaking with your horse?" The woman snapped her head around to see the twins staring at her with quizzical looks.

"I have told you, my lords, that he has become my closest friend."

"Well, why don't you come greet these three?" Arwen asked, stepping next to her brothers. Turwaithiel suppressed a growl and joined the group. She approached Norui and bowed her head.

"It is a pleasure to see that you have escaped the storm unscathed, my lord." She said and he inclined his head.

"And you." He said.

Turwaithiel tore her gaze from the Crown Prince and smirked when her eyes found those of Jaimea. The elleth glared at the lady and took a tentative step back. Legolas watched this exchange in worry and anger. The woman walked slowly towards Jaimea and the young prince gritted his teeth. Without a second thought, he strode towards the elleth and promptly grabbed her hand in his, then moved her behind himself. Turwaithiel halted in her tracks and stared up at Legolas's cerulean eyes.

'So, I stand correct.' Turwaithiel thought, 'He does care for her.'

Legolas soon realized what he had done and immediately felt his cheeks and ears get warmer. He quickly dropped Jaimea's hand but remained in front of her. He could feel her staring at him in confusion. Norui then came before him, glaring.

"Be polite." He hissed, "I don't care how much you like Jaimea or dislike Turwaithiel. You will be decent to her!" Norui then stormed away, leaving a very angry prince behind. Legolas glared at the smirking woman in front of him.

"Nice to see you." He spat and strode away. Jaimea glanced back and forth between Turwaithiel and Legolas, then slowly walked away.

They soon found themselves walking once again. Norui and Legolas had given up their horses to their females in the group. Lothron and Melyanna were atop Urúvion while Arwen and Jaimea rode on Cuilpantiel. Mithrandir, Turwaithiel and Norui led the way and Estel, Legolas and the twins brought up the rear. Espenshade had returned to her master and was perched upon his shoulder, quietly chewing on his plaits.

"What are our plans?" Norui asked Turwaithiel, staring straight ahead. The woman patted Uhako's neck as she walked.

"We turn east and pass over the mountains that way." She answered. All bitterness had left her and she seemed cheery even. The Crown Prince furrowed his brow and looked over at her.

"East? But that way is overrun with foul creatures." He said.

"That is what Estel said as well." Mithrandir added. Turwaithiel sighed exasperatedly.

"Those creatures are gone now. Besides, the mountains there are smaller and easier to climb." She retorted.

"But it is longer." Norui said.

"You do not realize how much land we have covered, do you, Prince Norui? I believe we have time."

"We have not covered as much as I would have liked."

"But are you aware that we are within a mile of the White Mountains?" The woman asked with a smirk.

The Crown Prince stared at her in disbelief, then stared into the distance. Sure enough, the rocky peaks of Ered Nimrais jetted up in the horizon like a set of grinning teeth. Norui glanced back between the mountains and Turwaithiel, his mouth opening and closing as if trying to speak.

"You see?" The lady asked.

"How is this possible?" He breathed, "We should not be this far along."

"I do not know how this has happened. All I know is that there is magic among us." She replied, "But why can you not believe me? You saw where I told you to head on the map, did you not?"

"Yes but I thought that we would be traveling alone a long time. That was why I could not understand why you placed our meeting place so far away." He said, staring at her curiously.

"Is this a part of the 'short cut' you mentioned when we first met?" Mithrandir asked.

"Nay, it is not. I am only sensing this and had no intentions of using magic to get us to the forest quicker." Turwaithiel replied to the wizard.

"How much longer?" Norui asked, trying to keep his excitement under control.

"I would say about a week and another half, maybe two, if we do not face any troubles." She said, smiling at him. The Crown Prince's lips turned up into a grin.

"Do you think my Ada and Glithiel will have a chance?"

"If they are as strong as you are, my lord, then I believe so." She said.

Norui bubbled with excitement and energy. He looked to Mithrandir who was smiling at him and then he turned to the lady again. He quickly picked her up in his arms and spun her around, laughing. She chuckled and patted him on his head. He sat her back down on the ground and kissed her hand.

"Thank you so much, mellon-nin!" He exclaimed, still grinning, "I must tell Legolas!" With that, he turned and sprinted back to his brother to tell him the news.

Mithrandir smiled when he heard the cheering of the two princes. Even Turwaithiel managed a small smile and a chuckle. They continued walking, listening to the cheerful laughter of the elves.

"I must thank you, Lady Turwaithiel, for bringing those two such joy." The Istar said, "They need good news in a time like this."

"I was only telling him the truth, nothing more. It was not my intention to make them happy again even if it did so."

The wizard smiled brightly at her and continued walking, eyeing the lady out of the corner of his eye. He took his pipe from his pouch and lit it carefully, then took a long puff. Turwaithiel stole a glance at him and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Must you do that, Mithrandir?" She asked, waving her hand in front of her face to blow away the smoke. He chuckled.

"You are much like the elves, I see, especially the twins." This caused the lady to smile.

"I must admit that I have taken a liking to those two. They can be very spirit lifting in dark times."

"Indeed, they can. But because of this trait that they possess, they have become known as the worst troublemakers of Imladris. It has gotten them into trouble in the past."

"But it is all in good fun. Their father and mother must remember that." She replied with a small chuckle. Mithrandir sighed and she furrowed her brow, "What is it?"

"They lost their mother a very long time ago in the hands of the orcs." The Istar said and she gasped.

"She has died?" She questioned, "But surely she must come back. I do not know much about elves but do they not have the choice to return to Middle-Earth?" Mithrandir took another puff from his pipe and blew it out slowly. He ran his hand through his gray beard, smoothing it out and then finally turned back to Turwaithiel.

"It is something like that." He replied, "But no, she was not killed. She was taken captive and then tortured. Elladan and Elrohir rode out to save her and they brought her back to Imladris but it was too late. She sailed to Valinor not long after Estel was brought to Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían."

Turwaithiel looked away from him and to the ground. She had never imagined that the seemingly carefree twins would have suffered such a huge thing. And, for a brief moment, she thought, 'Maybe I should not do this…they have suffered enough.' But she quickly shook it away, 'No, he has them and they are more important then this group.'

"That is horrible, Mithrandir." She replied, "I never would have thought that." Espenshade screeched suddenly and swooped overhead of them. Turwaithiel looked up and watched the falcon come swooping down in her stoop (2) only to level out again.

"Why were you questioning about Espenshade earlier, my lady?" The wizard asked suddenly, breaking her from her thoughts.

"I find it strange that she has lived so long. Is she special?" She asked. Mithrandir sighed.

"I can not deny that she is indeed a unique bird but it is not my place to tell you why." He replied.

"Why can you not tell me?"

"You will learn in time, Lady Turwaithiel." He said and spoke no more, watching the playful Peregrine Falcon create her own dance in her swoops, cries and dives.

**XXXXXX**

**For those of you who don't know a lot about Peregrine falcons…**

**1. An eyasse is a baby Peregrine falcon. **

**2. When a Peregrine Falcon stoops, it is when they reach a speed of over two hundred miles per hour in a complete vertical dive.**

**Love the Peregrines!**

**Whew, that is over. But I am suffering from major deja vú. I am not particularly fond of this chapter. I feel like I have done it before. Hmm, oh well. I hope you liked it and I am sorry it wasn't very eventful. **

**Aranel Toroniel- A new reader! Yay! Welcome aboard! Hehe, well, I have every intention of completing this story! I have a fun time with it so I won't quit. Thank you for the compliments! I hope to hear from you again! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Good morning! Lol. Yes, you are going to be in the story! And you know what else? As long as I get my butt off the computer and write in my book, your character will be here in the next chapter! Hehe! I hope you like her once you see her. Also, did you say that you wanted her to have magic? I thought of something that I could use it for so that would be fine. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- Hehe, yes, you did spell that right! Lol! Of course she and Legolas would get that way, you silly! But, of course, I threw a wrench in it this chapter! Muahaha! An exam at 6:30! My Lord, that is rough. Have a great summer and thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- Hey, what's wrong with being blonde? I'm blonde! And so is Legolas! Pbbbbt! Hehe, no, you are not an idiot. Just…forgetful. Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Hehe, I am glad you liked it. I hope your face is alright, lol. I don't want to be sued for putting too much cute stuff in it that my readers start getting face injuries! I'm sorry there isn't a lot of cute in this one but I hope you liked it nonetheless. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Well, that is about it! Talk to you all soon! (Am I doing good with these updates? I hope I am getting them out sooner then normally!)**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	28. Treachery Unveiled

**Oh my goodness, I am a cheerful little somebody right now! For my birthday, I get to meet Billy Boyd! WEE! screams in excitement I hyperventilated when I found out! Sweet Eru…I am going to die! continues screaming I'll try to get a picture of him and then OGLE it and post it everywhere on the internet!**

**Also, there might be a little bit of switching around between the characters in this one. I hope you can figure it out.**

**Oh, hehe, here is the next chapter. **

**XX**

Chapter 28- Treachery Unveiled

The company reached the feet of the mountain that night and they set up camp. Everyone was in high spirits and they told stories excitedly. Even Turwaithiel told one or two of her childhood tales. Mithrandir had started a roaring fire that flickered blue and green. A rabbit that Espenshade had caught was roasting above the flame for the two humans and wizard to feast upon while the elves munched cheerfully on their _lembas_. After much talking and laughter, the group finally quieted down and only the sound of crickets chirping could be heard.

Turwaithiel glanced around at all of the silent companions before slowly moving over to Norui. The Crown Prince looked up at her and smiled, nodding his head in a bow. She returned it.

"What can I do for you, my lady?" He asked quietly as if he were afraid to break the silence.

"I wish to ask you a question." She said, "About your brother." He quirked an eyebrow but nodded.

"Alright." Turwaithiel looked around at everyone against before leaning over to whisper.

"What really happened between him and Jaimea?" She asked, gaining a sigh from the ellon.

"My lady, it isn't any of my business nor is it yours."

"Lord Norui, I must know. If something did happen, we should try to make something out of it."

"No." He responded immediately, shaking his head, "It would only prove to be a distraction for the two of them."

"Ah, so something did happen." She said, smirking. Norui glared, "But what about you? Surely your lady back home is constantly on your mind."

"She is none of your business either." He hissed. Turwaithiel smirked and faced forward again. A moment later, Norui sighed and motioned for her to come closer.

"Yes, my lady, something happened." He said guiltily, "They shared a kiss."

"Just a peck, I am assuming."

"No." The Crown Prince said, "It wasn't. I was very intimate and…loving." The mechanics in the lady's mind began to churn with thoughts and ideas.

"Do you think anything can come of it?"

"I do not know. They said that it was innocent." He replied, narrowing his eyes, "But why do you care?"

"Because he is very close to her and she to him. He needs another companion."

Norui glanced over at Legolas. The young prince was staring into the fire, unblinking. The Crown Prince was about to look away but stopped when he saw his brother shift his head slightly. He followed his gaze and found that it was locked on Jaimea. Norui quirked and eyebrow when the elleth looked carefully over at the younger prince and Legolas quickly averted his eyes to the fire once more.

"Do you see?" Turwaithiel asked and Norui nodded.

"Yes, I do." He replied, "Perhaps something should be done. It might be more of a distraction if they were to be worrying about one another's safety along with trying to contain their feelings for one another."

"What do you suggest?" The lady asked.

"Leave it to me." The Crown Prince said and stood up, stretching and breaking the peaceful silence.

"My flask is empty." He said to the group, "Would anyone be kind enough to fill it for me?" No one replied and he sighed, sitting back down. Turwaithiel shook her head but the Crown Prince winked at her, "Legolas?"

"Yes?" The golden haired ellon replied.

"Really, you will?" Norui grinned.

"What?" Legolas questioned in confusion. Norui grabbed his flask from his pack and tossed it at his brother.

"That is so kind of you!" He exclaimed. Legolas scowled, realizing what the older ellon was doing.

"Why can you not do it?" The prince asked, annoyed.

"I am so dehydrated, Legolas, I can not move." Norui replied, melodramatically. Legolas glared.

"Where is the nearest stream?"

"About a half a mile from here." Turwaithiel said before the Crown Prince could reply. Norui's grin grew and the lady smirked mischievously at him. Giving one last sigh, Legolas stood and glanced at the others.

"Does anyone else need water?" He asked exasperatedly.

Almost immediately, everyone leapt up and grabbed their flasks, then threw them at the prince. He gasped in surprise as they all came flying towards him and he reached out to catch them all. The group laughed as the flasks scattered everywhere, some coming dangerously close to the fire and ot ting the ellon all over his body. When the assault of flasks ended, the prince growled and began picking them all up then cradling them in his arms. Norui stood.

"Would you like some help, brother?" He asked.

"I thought you were too weak." Legolas replied bitterly as he maneuvered one of the flasks away from the fire with his boot.

"I am." He said, taking a few of the skins from the younger prince, "That is why Jaimea is going to help you." He added quickly as he dropped them into the elleth's arms. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Me?" She asked quietly and Norui nodded.

"Yes, you." He replied, looking over to Legolas with a smile. The young prince was glaring daggers, now completely aware of his brother's intent.

"No." He spat and Norui sighed, walking over to him. He stood at his side and whispered.

"Legolas, please, do this. I am not forcing you to do anything nor do I expect you to. This was Turwaithiel's idea." He explained slowly. Legolas shifted his gaze to the lady and glared but she didn't seem to notice, "Legolas?"

"Fine." He said, "But nothing is happening between us." He gathered up the remaining flasks and turned to Jaimea, motioning his head to come. Hesitantly, she gathered up the flasks surrounding her and made her way towards him. He gave her a brief smile but quickly turned away, "Which direction?" He asked and everyone pointed to the east.

"That way." They all said simultaneously. Estel stood and took a large branch from the fire and handed it to the prince.

"Here, use this to light your way." He said, smiling. Legolas nodded in thanks, then started off into the night. When the flickering of the flame was only a small light in the distance, they all let their laughter loose.

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Ellon and elleth silently walked, side by side, in the dark. Legolas held the flame in one hand and balanced the flasks in the crook of the other. His blue eyes would occasionally glance out into the distance, looking for any sign of danger. Jaimea walked with nervous steps, keeping as close to the prince as possible without bringing attention to it. After a few moments of walking, they could hear the quiet rushing of the creek. Legolas smiled at her and then kneeled down by the creek. Jaimea did the same and they slowly began to fill up the skins.

Though he told himself not to, Legolas couldn't help but watch the elleth of the corner of his eye. There were no stars out and the moon was absent. Only the flickering of the torch lit the area. It set shadows on her face in mysterious ways and he felt himself smile. He set down the flask he held and dipped his hands in the water. This caught Jaimea's eye and she watched him curiously. He cupped his hands together, catching some water and turned towards the elleth with a smile.

"Are you thirsty?" He asked quietly, holding his hands to her. Jaimea glanced between hid face and hands, then smiled.

"Yes, I am." She said, dropping the flask she was filling and moving over to him. She placed her hands under his and slowly bent down to drink out of his cupped hands. She took small sips slowly, as if teasing him.

Legolas closed his eyes and fought back a shiver when her lips came in contact with his palms. Her lips seemed to linger longer then what was necessary before finally sitting up again. She smiled shyly at him.

"Are you thirsty?" She asked, already dipping her hands in the cold stream. Legolas didn't answer, subconsciously licking his lips as he watched her delicate hands. She blushed at his behavior and held out her hands. The prince put his hands under hers, following her example, and drank.

Jaimea gasped and almost dropped the liquid when she felt the prince's tongue brush against her palm. She knew not whether it was intentional or not but her mind was racing. Legolas looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"What is wrong?" He asked, still holding her hands.

"Nothing." She answered shakily. Legolas frowned.

"Did I do something?"

"No." The ellon gazed into her eyes for a moment and she stared into his. Their faces were slowly turning a faint pink and Jaimea dropped the water in her daze. This, though, did not break the stare they were in.

Legolas shifted his hands on top of hers and slowly pulled her closer; she did not resist. And just when they thought their lips would touch, an eerie howl rang out in the night that sent shivers up their spines.

The prince instinctively reached behind his back for his bow but found that it was not there. Furrowing his brow, he went for the knives he kept as his belt but they were absent as well. His eyes widened and he glanced at Jaimea.

"I felt my weapons at the camp!" He exclaimed.

"Do you think that they will try to kill us?" She asked fearfully.

"I am not sure. It sounded like a normal wolf; not a warg. I don't think so." He replied, trying to reassure her. The elleth nodded nervously and they hurriedly filled the rest of the glasses. When the last one was filled, they gathered them up in their arms and turned to leave.

Only to be faced with a snarling gray wolf.

Jaimea dropped the flasks in her shock. The water spilled out, spilling at their feet but her gaze remained on the wolf's yellow eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas drop down to ground and let the flasks scatter, still gripping onto the torch. The elleth stepped closer to him once he regained his normal position and he immediately grasped her hand in his, squeezing tightly.

"Back away." He whispered, tugging gently. She only let out a quiet whimper and took a step back. The wolf continued to snarl and snap at them, eyes glowing. Suddenly, there was an angry bark and they spun around. Two more of the creatures had appeared, both a little smaller then the first.

"I thought you said they wouldn't try to kill us!" Jaimea hissed as another group of five came into the light of the flame.

"I did." The prince retorted, "But I never said that they wouldn't try."

"What!" She shouted in anger but immediately regretted it. The wolves growled and leapt towards them.

The warrior buried within Legolas took over as he ducked when one of the beasts jumped for his neck. He swiped out at them with the flame, alighting one. It yelped, running towards the stream. The prince skillfully dodged and blocked the wolfs' attacks while still guarding the frightening elleth. One had slashed him on he leg with its sharp claws but the wound went unnoticed by both ellon and elleth.

One leapt through the shadows, catching Legolas off guard. He quickly dropped to the ground and the beast soared over him. Thinking nothing of it, he continued to battle against the creatures.

The only thing that brought him out of his frenzy was the distressed call of his name.

Legolas spun around to find Jaimea pinned under the same wolf that had leapt over him. She lay on her back, holding the creature's mouth open and away from herself, crying out in panic and fear. The wolf growled viciously, digging its claws into her body.

The prince leapt forward and swung the torch wildly against the wolf's side, gritting his teeth. It yelped when there was a faint crack of bones breaking and then it slumped over on the ground. Jaimea's eyes were wide with fright and Legolas stood over her protectively, swiping at the seemingly endless flow of wolves.

"Jaimea, up!" He shouted but she didn't respond.

There was a sudden screech from above and Legolas stole the chance to glance up. His dace lit up when he saw a falcon swooping down towards them.

Espenshade dug her talons into the eyes of a wolf. It howled in pain, swiping at her blindly. She easily dodged its mad attacks and went to another beast when it darted off into the night.

Five of them had been driven off but more kept coming. Jaimea had come out of her stupor and was trying her best to stay safe. Legolas looked up at Espenshade's fleeting form and called to Jaimea.

"Run! Follow Espenshade!" He shouted and ran off. The elleth quickly followed, the wolves hot on their heels.

They ran blindly, following only the screeching of falcon. The snarling and snapping of the wolves were behind them. Panic instilled itself in their hearts and Legolas couldn't help snatching Jaimea's hand in his even if it did slow them down. The elleth did not notice but kept running.

Until they felt no earth beneath them.

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"Norui, put the fire out!" Elladan hissed.

"No, not until Legolas and Jaimea return." The Crown Prince said as he broke more twigs to feed the fire. The Noldor elf growled.

"Some of us would like to get some sleep!"

"No one is sleeping until they return." Norui replied a bit more sternly. There were some growling and muttering in frustration.

"If you worry so much, grab a torch and go look for them yourself." Turwaithiel suggested, "I shall come with you." The ellon glanced around at everyone and sighed in exasperation.

"It is nice to see that you care so much, my friends." He said as he paced around the fire in search of a branch that would serve as a torch, "Fine, Lady Turwaithiel, I will go." He stuck a branch in the fire until it ignited, then headed off in the direction the other two elves went, "Come, my lady!" He called. Turwaithiel stood from her spot, picking up her staff and then followed after the Crown Prince.

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Both of the young elves gasped when the ground left them. And, before they knew it, they were tumbling down to the ground below.

Their screams broke the peaceful silence of the night, echoing off of the canyon walls and across the plains. Their elven eyes could not pierce the darkness below them and did not know if they were falling into water or jagged rocks. Espenshade suddenly swooped down beside them like an arrow. Her wings were plastered against her back and she cried out in excitement. But the elves continued to scream.

Jaimea's life flashed before her eyes as her death slowly came upon her. She was near to unconsciousness but a soft touch kept her awake. She mustered the courage to pry her eyes open and saw Legolas falling beside her.

The prince took the elleth in his arms, desperately trying to keep his screams back though they blocked his throat and he couldn't breathe. The elleth didn't scream but she had tears falling from her eyes, her lips trembling.

'If this is my last moment in Middle-Earth, I might as well make it a good one.' He thought and, with that, he pulled her close to his chest and planted a loving kiss on her lips.

The elleth gasped in confusion and shock but after a moment, slowly eased into it. It was gentle and caring but also was filled with worry.

Legolas came up for air and had time to whisper only one thing to her.

"Le melon."

And they struck the icy water below them.

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Norui's head shot up when he heard the screams. He could recognize that scream anywhere. He glanced to Turwaithiel but she seemed completely oblivious to it.

"My lady, did you hear that?" He asked worriedly but she did not respond, "Lady Turwaithiel?" She turned to him but she was no longer the lady that he knew and had traveled with.

Her once fair face was covered in scars. Her eyes were no longer blue but a midnight black. Her hair had grown longer, reaching her lower back and had white streaks running down its length. She wore a black tunic with silver clasps, black leggings, and a cloak that just reached the ground. Her feathered staff was now made of some sort of metal and its peak was decorated with two spikes.

Norui took a step back and drew his blade. Turwaithiel did not move but glared at the Crown Prince. She shifted her staff into her right hand and took a step forward.

"It is time this comes to an end." She hissed and, before Norui could react, she swung her staff and it connected with his temple. He inhaled sharply before falling to the ground, unconscious.

Turwaithiel stood above him for a moment before giving a wolf-like howl. A few moments later, the same type replied to her and she smiled. A pack of wolves came up to her from the distance and waited at her feet. One of the wolves, larger then the others, came forward and looked up at the lady.

"Uhako." She said, smiling. The wolf barked and slowly became engulfed by a bright light. Turwaithiel watched on eagerly and when the light had disappeared, she ran forward and placed her lips on those of a man about her size. The man ran his hands through her hair as he gladly accepted her kiss. After a moment, they pulled away and she took the time to study him.

He had dark brown hair that came to his shoulders and hung loosely around his face. His eyes were a chocolaty color that sparkled and he was dressed in a brown leather tunic and black leggings. He, too, studied Turwaithiel and he smiled at her.

"How did that princeling and his wench fare?" The lady asked.

"Took care of 'em, we did. Drove 'em straight off a cliff." He said with a ney accent, grinning.

"Beautiful job, love!" She exclaimed, giving him a chaste kiss, "Now, we must go back to master." Uhako nodded and then, after another burst of light, returned to his horse form. Turwaithiel hopped upon the stallion and glanced at the wolves they were leaving behind.

"Thank you for your help, my friends. I apologize for any losses you may have suffered." She said. A couple of the creatures barked in response, then they turned and dashed off into the night. The lady turned Uhako around and gently nudged him on the flanks. He snorted slightly, then galloped off to their 'master'.

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It felt like a thousand knives stabbing into the bodies as they smacked against the surface of the river. Immediately, the current trapped them and they were swept away. Legolas kept a firm grip on the elleth, using his body to shield her from any rocks or branches. The impact left them both near to falling into oblivion but they reminded themselves that they must stay awake if they wanted any chance of survival.

The elves broke the surface and greedily gasped for breath before they were pulled back under. Legolas opened his eyes but soon wished he hadn't. A field of razor sharp rocks littered the bottom of the river.

He shut his eyes once more, bringing himself closer to Jaimea, then turned so his back faced the jagged rocks. The elleth remained oblivious to this until she heard the muffled, pain-filled cries of the prince behind her and she saw traces of blood pass them by.

She turned to face him quickly and saw that his back was grating across the points of the rocks. She reminded herself not to gasp and scream, then kicked off one rock to propel them away. They were lucky enough to break the surface and Legolas cried out in pain. The elleth only saw the Peregrine Falcon flying dangerously close to the water's surface, crying out in thrill, before the river swallowed them once more.

But the last thing that she could remember was feeling Legolas take a sharp inhale of breath, still underwater, and then her head collided with one of the teeth-like rocks.

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Bright green eyes stared out into the distance. They were hardened slightly and pierced the darkness for many miles. A dark cloak concealed all but her eyes and a few strands of chocolate brown hair that had escaped its confinement. A soft snort from her horse brought her attention back to reality and she gave a small smile.

"I know you are there, Runyariel." She said. Her voice was soft and ringing with laughter. She turned from the rock she stood upon and strode over to her horse; a large mare with an unusual spotted coat and a pure white mane and tail.

She pulled herself atop her mount, without the help of saddle or bridle, and patted Runyariel's neck. The horse pawed anxiously at the ground and the person smiled.

"Let us check the river one more time and then we may head home." She said and made a clicking sound with her tongue, then the two countered off, oblivious to the surprises that they would find at the water's edge.

**XX**

**Yay, all done! I hope this chapter was long enough and posted soon enough! Hehe, I hope you liked it.**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Hehe, maybe he is, maybe he isn't. You will just have to wait and see. I am sorry about your hand. I hope it feels better now. :( And I did write! See! Scroll up! Hehe. Ehem, anywho, any guesses on who this new green-eyed, brown-haired lady is? wink wink Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- Yes, it is weird and I hate it! So annoying, it is. But yea, that is why I didn't like last chapter. I think this one is much better. I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Legolas's Girl 9- Hehe. My hair is mostly blonde but my mom says I have every natural color possible. I have black, red, brown, blonde and even some white. I am hoping it isn't premature gray hair but I think it is just a pale blonde, silver kind of. Anywho! Catty, you say? Hmm…lol, that is one way to describe it. Jerk Legolas! What is wrong with you, woman? Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Aw, you like Espenshade? Yay! That was my intention when I started writing this. I wanted Norui to seem very protective over his family and a good brother, all around. And I tried to make Espenshade seem like a quirky little thing, very curious and stuff like that. It flatters me to know that you like her! grin Oh, and you know what? I think I got the bill yesterday! I took one look at it and threw it in the shredder:) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**That is about it! Thank you, guys! Billy Boyd, here I come! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	29. Curious Elleths

**Hello all! Here I am again to supply you with another chapter! Wee! Less then a week and I will be in Pittsburgh! YAY! But Billy almost got himself killed surfing! AH! POOR BILLY:( **

**Anywho, on with the show!**

**XXXXXXX**

Chapter 29- Curious Elleths

Mithrandir chewed on his pipe thoughtfully as his gray eyes stared into the distance. Norui and Turwaithiel had not yet returned and that worried him. After a few moments, he sighed and stood up, stuffing his pipe in his belt. He strode over from his watch post to the human that lay on the ground and tapped him lightly with his foot.

"Estel?" He called quietly. He blinked tiredly and looked up slowly, taking in the Istar's expression. He gasped suddenly and leapt to his feet.

"What is it, Mithrandir? Are there orcs nearby?" He asked worriedly, searching his belt for his knife.

"Peace, Estel, everything is fine." He assured him, "But our comrades have not returned yet and that does not settle well with me."

"I will wake the others." The man said immediately and went to do just that.

A few moments later, the company was awake and searching desperately for their friends. The twins carried torches that they had lit again and they all called out worriedly, ignoring the danger it might put them in. Estel had gone ahead, trying to find any traces of either of the elves. He found this quite difficult though for elves left little or no track to follow by. After they walked a little ways, they heard the young human call back to them.

"I have found him!" He shouted, "Come quickly!" They exchanged quick, hopeful glances before dashing off after him.

They found Estel leaning over the unconscious Crown Prince of Mirkwood, searching him over for anything that might explain his current state. The two princesses gasped and dashed to their brother, shoving Estel out of the way. Melyanna stroked his pale face and pushed stray hairs from his face, tucking them behind his pointed ear, while Lothron gently shook him.

"Norui?" She whispered, "Norui, wake up." She pleaded as the others gathered around. The younger elleth furrowed her brow when she found a large bruise on the ellon's temple and gently prodded it. Norui gasped suddenly at the touch and shoved them both away, covering his head with his arm. The youngest princess growled but her sister just smiled, "Are you alright?" She asked gently and he groaned.

"My head feels ready to burst." He mumbled in annoyance. Slowly, he sat himself up and glanced around. His eyes widened suddenly, "Where is Turwaithiel!" He exclaimed, leaping to his feet but he soon grew faint and fell back down. Lothron caught him quickly and gently lowered him.

"I am not sure." She replied, "Why? What is wrong?"

"She betrayed us!" He hissed, "She knocked me out with her staff after transforming into some horrible creature!"

The companions glanced between each other worriedly. Did he speak the truth or was he still shaken from his injury however he obtained it?

"Are you positive, Norui?" Mithrandir asked as he approached. The Crown Prince nodded vigorously.

"Absolutely! I remember it clearly." He was breathing heavily at this point, outraged at their blindness and her treachery, "Legolas was right all along." He breathed, placing his head in his hands. The group absorbed this new information with worry and anger. She had tricked them all and they never stopped to think about it. It seemed that Legolas was the only one who saw her for who she was. How he knew this baffled them even more.

"Where are Legolas and Jaimea?" The wizard asked.

"I do not know. I thought I heard them scream but then that Turwaithiel," He spat out her name in disgust, "Knocked me out."

"Why would they scream?" Arwen asked, fearing the worst. Norui only shook his head.

"I believe I have an answer to that." The Istar said, "There is a gorge not far from here where a river runs through. Perhaps they have fallen down that."

Sharp gasps escaped their mouths and their minds were filled with images of the two elves speared upon jagged rocks or pinned down underneath the current, slowly drowning to . The three siblings of Mirkwood were ly pale and looked as if they could faint right there.

"But I do not know this." Mithrandir amended, "I do not know how they would manage such a thing. They would have passed the stream to reach the gorge but if this did indeed occur, I know who we can go to for help."

"Who?" Elrohir asked.

"If you remain silent, I will tell you." He snapped impatiently. The Noldor Elf stepped back, "As I was saying, there is a young elleth who patrols a section of the White Mountains. Her range covers a shallow area of the river. The two are bound to be washed up there and she will find them. If we can catch her, we will find Legolas and Jaimea."

"Well, Mithrandir, I am not too keen on trusting anyone that we find here in the Wild." Norui scoffed.

"You will trust her if you want to find your brother, princeling." The wizard replied hotly, his temper rising, "I have known this since the day she was born. I was there the day she came into this world and it was I who raised her." The Crown Prince's face fell into complete shock and confusion.

"What do you mean?" Elladan asked.

"That is a story for later but we best be off if we want to catch her this night. Come!" He turned to run back to the camp but another voice stopped him.

"What of Turwaithiel, Mithrandir?" Estel asked, "What are we going to do about her? And if she betrayed us, how should we believe that the east passage of the Mountains is safe as she told us?" The wizard sighed tiredly and turned back to the human.

"We will figure that out later, Estel." He said, "But as for our path, Legolas lies to the east, not to the west. We shall continue with the woman's plan and pray that our luck holds."

With that, the Istar dashed back to their camp with the others quickly following behind. They gathered up all of their belongings and hurriedly strapped them to their backs. Despite much protesting and confusion, they let their horses go at Mithrandir's bidding. They doused the small flame and set out in search of this new elleth.

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The sensation of smooth pebbles rubbing against cold skin clouded her senses and she found comfort in it. The playful trickling of water filled her ears and she came to a slow stop. All was silent and dark.

Jaimea opened her eyes wide a groan as she pulled her shaky arms out from underneath her body. She could barely detect the cool water running past her body. As she lay there, memories of what just happened came streaming back to her and she suddenly remembered who was with her.

"Legolas!" She gasped and struggled to push herself. She finally noticed that she lay in a shallow area of the river and the cliff had disappeared. A sandy beach-like area was on one side of her and the rocky wall was on the other. She spotted the limp body of the prince face down in the water, resting a little ways from the shore.

The elleth crawled frantically over to the ellon, not having the strength to pull herself to her feet. She hurriedly pushed him onto his back and pressed her pointed ear to his chest but found almost nothing.

"Legolas?" She whispered hopefully as she shook his vigorously, hoping he would open his eyes and laugh, saying that it was all a joke and he was fine. But he didn't. Tears began to trail down her cheeks and they blended with the river water. She glanced nervously between his lips and his chest, wringing her hands in anxiety.

Suddenly, she leaned down and put her mouth over his and blew into him, his chest rising slightly in response. She did this one more time before putting her ear to his chest but there was still nothing. Not willing to give up, she pressed his chest multiple times bu eemed to have no effect. She repeated this until she was exhausted. Hot tears stung her eyes but she did not take notice.

"Please, Legolas, do not do this." Jaimea breathed, "Wake up." Her shoulders racked with sobs and she rested her head on his chest. Espenshade appeared out of nowhere and landed on the shore. Her head lowered to the ground in sorrow when she saw the two elves before her, "Legolas, please don't leave me. I-" She stopped in her sentence when she heard the faintest fluttering of the ellon's heart.

Instantly, she began pressing on his chest, repeating the movements she had before. The falcon watched her sadly; all hope for her master had left her small body.

Legolas's eyes sprang open and he fell into violent coughing fits, rolling quickly onto his side. Jaimea leapt back from him to give him some room, excitement and relief etched on her face. Water spewed out of the prince's mouth and, regaining her senses, the elleth came forward again and pulled him to the shore with strength that surprised herself. The ellon's eyes were wide and shot from choking. He glanced around frantically, searching for anyone there with him. He barely noticed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Thank Eru." Jaimea breathed as she kissed his shoulder and face. Espenshade flew over to them with a screech and landed on the other side of the ellon, pecking at his sodden golden locks. The elleth stroked his back soothingly and his choking soon died to nothing but rasped breaths.

"Jaimea?" Legolas whispered hoarsely after a moment, turning onto his back to look up at her but she stopped him, pushing him gently back onto his side.

"Shh, Legolas, you must stay on your side in case there is anymore water in your lungs." She said softly. The prince gave a deep, gasping breath and then rolled over to his side.

"My eyes are blurred, Jaimea. I feel as if I cannot see a foot in front of me." He said quietly. The elleth frowned and carefully crawled around to face him, then lay down next to him. His cerulean eyes were half closed but she could see that they were darting around quickly.

"I think it will pass in time, Legolas. Just rest." She replied, stroking some stray hairs from his face.

"You will not leave me?" He asked, reaching blindly for her hand and she quickly grasped it in her own hand. At his question, she found herself having to bite her bottom lip to hold back her tears. She moved up to his face and placed small kisses all over his face. She shivered when she felt his lips brush against her neck but she convinced herself it was chaste, perhaps even al, and left it at that.

"I will stay with you forever, Legolas." She whispered. The two elves stayed in that position for a few more moments. The prince found the strength to put his arms around her waist and pull her closer to him, resting his chin on her head. Jaimea sighed contentedly as she grasped his wet tunic in her hands and buried her face in his neck.

"We need to heal your wounds." She said suddenly, making the ellon jump slightly at her voice. He felt his heart fall when she pulled away from his embrace and traced her fingers down the gashes on his legs.

"Espenshade can help." Legolas said softly and the elleth nodded.

"Alright, Espenshade, heal your master again." She said with a chuckle. The falcon screeched softly and began her magic once more.

A few moments later, the wounds on Legolas's back and legs were gone, leaving only tiny scars. The elleth smiled at the falcon who cackled in return. Jaimea leaned down over the prince and smiled. His face was still paler then normal but color was slowly returning to him. His eyes fluttered open and locked gazes with hers. He furrowed his brow and reached up slowly, touching her forehead.

"You are hurt." He said softly, already looking towards Espenshade.

"I am?" She questioned, never having noticed any injuries. She placed her fingers gently on her forehead and hissed in pain when she came in contact with an open wound, "How did I not notice that?" She wondered and Legolas simply shrugged with a small smile.

Once the falcon had healed the elleth's wounds, she sighed tiredly and flew off a little ways to find a good place to rest. The two elves watched her leave with a smile, wondering at the creature. Jaimea turned back down to Legolas with a worried frown.

"Do you think you can manage to make it to the shore?" She asked. He didn't respond at first, as if measuring his strength.

"I think so." He said and sat up on his elbows with the elleth supporting him. He hissed through his teeth when he felt his lungs constrict and rested in that position for a moment before finally continuing. Very slowly, Legolas made it to his feet and was guided carefully to the river's shore. Jaimea bit her lip worriedly when she heard his grunts of discomfort and let him lay back down once they came to land.

Legolas lay down on his back and the elleth allowed him to rest his head in her lap. She brushed his hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ears, and slowly began to undo his plaits. Once they were all out, she ran her fingers through his matted hair, combing it out, and then kneaded his head gently. She smiled when a soft sigh escaped his lips and he looked up at her again.

"That feels nice." He said softly.

"I am glad it pleases you." She replied.

"Once we get back to the palace, I will have you as my personal massager and no one else can use you." He chuckled but Jaimea's hands suddenly stopped. Legolas furrowed his brow and looked up at her, "Jaimea?"

"I am sorry." She said quickly, then resumed her ministrations.

"No, you do not need to apologize. I am sorry if I offended you." He replied repentantly, "It would be your choice were you to do that for me." He reached up tiredly and caressed her cheek, gaining him a small smile.

"Legolas, I must tell you something but you must promise not to be angry with me." At his nod, she continued, "As you know, my parents died and my brother left me. With no where to go, I did the only thing I thought would work; I joined-"

A high pitched whinny cut the elleth off and both elves snapped their heads to the direction of the sound. The soft beating of hooves reached their ears until they saw the silhouette of a horse and rider making their way towards them.

A moment later, they heard the rider hop off and their bodies constricted in tension. They heard the soft shifting of the small stones and sand as the person came towards them. Legolas pulled Jaimea down on the ground suddenly.

"Be silent!" He hissed, watching the person come steadily closer to them. The elleth did as she was told.

Sure enough, the person walked right past the two elves with even a glance. The two elves were able to see that the person was a female due to her shapely curves and slender waist. A darkly colored cloak was pinned over her shoulders and just touched the ground. The hood was placed over her head, concealing her facial features. Only when she dropped the cloak from her shoulders did the ellon and elleth speak again.

"Should we run?" Jaimea whispered, not noticing the closeness of their bodies.

"I don't know. She might-" Legolas gasped, his eyes widening, "Sweet Eru…"

The woman had waded into waist deep water and was busy unbuttoning her flowing riding tunic, then peeling it off her body. While the prince just gaped in shock and embarrassment, not being able to tear his eyes away, the elleth just glared and him and slapped his head. He hissed in pain, taking his eyes off of the woman.

"Keep your eyes !" She reprimanded a bit too loudly.

The lady's eyes shot up and she gathered the tunic around herself again, eyes wide. Her horse's head looked up as well and gazed into the shadows. Legolas mentally slapped himself.

"Runyariel, do you see anyone?" The lady asked worriedly. The horse snorted and trotted off into the darkness with the woman's bright eyes watching.

Jaimea and Legolas stiffened as the strangely painted horse trotted towards them and stopped at their heads. The two elves looked up to see a pair of inquisitive eyes staring down at them. The mare sighed heavily and pressed her snout to the ellon's face, leaving the elleth to giggle. The prince snorted in annoyance when a big tongue ran over his face.

"Runyariel?" The woman called, walking in the direction of her mount. The two elves on the ground inhaled sharply and instinctively grabbed each other in an almost protective way. The mare looked to her master and nickered softly. Swallowing hard, the woman took the few tentative steps towards her, "Who is it?"

The lady gasped softly when she saw the elves on the ground. Much to the confusion of Legolas and Jaimea, she blushed crimson and turned away from them.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" She exclaimed, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything!" The prince's jaw dropped while the elleth just blushed. Legolas quickly pushed himself away from Jaimea and sat up, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his chest.

"No, it is not that at all!" He assured, trying to hide his embarrassment. The lady glanced over to the other elleth who nodded in agreement and she chuckled.

"Oh, alright then." She said cheerfully. Suddenly, the smile was wiped off her face and she turned to glare at the ellon, "And why were you watching me bathe?" She asked tensely. Legolas's eyes widened and he looked to Jaimea. She only gave him a smug smile. He swallowed and turned to the lady again.

"I apologize, my lady. We have been here for a long while and we weren't sure if you were a friend or foe." He replied nervously.

"So I assume it is necessary to watch me in order to determine that?" She spat and he flinched at her response. Jaimea was beginning to feel sorry for the ellon.

"Please, my lady," The elleth began, "We need help. We were driven off a cliff by a pack of wolves and we do not know where our companions are."

The woman tore her suspicious gaze from the prince to Jaimea. She gazed at her up and down, then nodded once.

"Who was in your party?" She asked.

"There was a man by the name of Estel along with a few other elves. We had one wizard with us as well; Mithrandir." The elleth replied. The lady's face brightened suddenly.

"You travel with Mithrandir?"

"Indeed."

"Then you truly mean no harm. He is a great wizard and any of his friends are mine as well." She said happily, "My name is Iaurtondariel. Who might you be?"

"I am Jaimea and this is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood." She answered and the prince smiled sheepishly, "Though he usually behaves better then this." She added with a smile. Iaurtondariel smirked and then looked to the ellon.

"Would you come with me for a moment, my lord?" She asked him, stretching out her hand with a smile, "I would like to discuss something with you." Legolas instantly froze and her smile faded. Jaimea frowned, finally remembering his 'timidity'.

"My lady, I don't think-"

"Come now, my lord! I won't hurt you!" The lady insisted. Legolas shook his head.

"No, that is alright. I'd rather stay here." He replied. Iaurtondariel opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off by Jaimea.

""Please, my lady, stop this." She said quietly. The elleth looked between Jaimea and Legolas with a curious smile.

"Alright then." She replied mirthfully. She then stood from her spot, patted her horse's neck and then walked back to the water's edge. The two Mirkwood elves exchanged confused glances.

"Will you help us find out friends?" Jaimea asked. The other elleth turned back to look at her.

"Oh, you wanted help from me?" She asked, "Well, of course! Why didn't you ask?"

"We did."

"Yes, you did, but you did not ask for my help in particular. You didn't seem to trust me when I came upon you so I did not believe that you would want me to help." She replied with a small shrug. Legolas quirked an eyebrow at her but she caught it and chuckled, "You are quite- how do I say it- cute, perhaps, even if you did have a look at me."

"I did not!" He retorted. She just chuckled again and turned to Jaimea.

"You may take Runyariel. She will take you back to my home and I will try to find your friends." She said and the other elleth nodded.

"Hannon lle." (Thank you)

Within a moment, Legolas and Jaimea were mounted upon the mare and, after a few short instructions, had galloped off to the elleth's home.

Once they had disappeared out of sight, the elleth sighed and began gathering her things from the shoreline. She picked up a small dagger that had a green gem plastered in the hilt. A string of elvish traveled up the blade, hidden in small silver leaves and vines. She stuck this into its sheath and fastened her cloak around her shoulders.

"Now, where is that wizard?" She thought aloud. She opened a small pouch at her hip and took out a pinch of white powder. She then took a small cup and filled it with water from the river, then mixed the powder in the liquid. She placed the water to her lips and took a small sip. Within a blink of an eye, a bright light engulfed her and she was gone.

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Mithrandir ignored the complaining of two certain Noldor elves as they continued their blind run. Most of them did not know where they were going but they did not question the wizard. Where ever he was going, they were sure it was of some importance.

Their run came to a halt at the sound of muffled cries from the twins. They stopped and looked back to see a very interesting sight.

Elrohir was on top of Elladan who was on another person that they did not recognize save the Istar. They all laughed at the ellons' position but Mithrandir rushed forward through them all and towards the three on the ground.

"Get off, you fools!" He ordered, waving his staff threateningly in the air. Elladan took another look at the one beneath him and gasped when he saw that it was an elleth, "Off!" The wizard called again and the two elves clambered off. The lady shot up and glanced around with excited eyes.

"Mithrandir!" She exclaimed mirthfully, running towards the Istar. He laughed merrily when she leapt into his arms and he enveloped her in a massive embrace, "It is so wonderful to see you!"

"Long has it been since I have seen you, my dear Iaurtondariel." He replied, smiling brightly, "My, have you grown into a beautiful elleth!" He added and she laughed.

"Mithrandir?" Norui called, interrupting the reunion. The wizard and elleth looked over to the expectant ellon.

"Norui, this is the lady I spoke of." Mithrandir said, "Iaurtondariel." The Crown Prince nodded slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you, my lady." He said softly. The elleth smiled and approached him with curious eyes.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to Legolas of Mirkwood, would you?" She asked and his eyes widened.

"He is my brother!" Norui exclaimed, taking her hands in his, "What has happened to him?" Iaurtondariel laughed at his enthusiasm.

"He and his lady are riding to my home as we speak." She replied and the ellon furrowed his brow.

"'His lady'? Are they courting each other?" He questioned.

"Oh, they are not lovers? I assumed they were by the way I found them."

"Are they alright?"

"Quite alright." She replied, "No wounds." Norui sighed in relief.

"Thank Eru." He breathed.

"Well, now that we have Iaurtondariel with us, I believe we will find out friends quickly." Mithrandir said, "Lead the way, my dear."

The elleth grinned excitedly and nodded.

"Come, it is not but a mile from here!" She exclaimed cheerfully and then turned to run but a voice stopped her from doing so. She stopped and spun around to see who it was that spoke to her.

"My lady, how did you appear out of thin air like that?" Elladan asked, taking a few steps forward. She eyed him carefully and shrugged.

"It is just magic." She replied.

"How are you capable of such a thing?"

Iaurtondariel was about to speak but a hand over her mouth stopped her. She looked up at the person with annoyance in her eyes.

"That, my lord Elladan, shall be explained later as well." The old Istar said and released the elleth. She shot him a curious glance but he only smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Now, lead the way."

The elleth nodded with a small smile and then turned around again but, much to her annoyance, was stopped again.

"If you have the power to transport yourself, why do you not just transport all of us?" The same ellon asked again. She sighed and looked to Mithrandir for permission to answer and he nodded.

"It is only capable of transporting one person. I would not be able to do everyone here. Besides, it is tiring work." She replied.

Once again, Iaurtondariel turned around and paused, waiting for another interruption. When none came, she sighed in relief and bolted off with the others following close behind her.

**XX**

**There you go! All done, finally! This one took a while, actually, and my wrists are starting to hurt. Let's make this short…**

**Anonymous- A new reader! Yay! I am glad you liked the story! As for the elvish… h t t p/w w w .musefanpage . c o m / N e w F i l e s / s a l o a n s w e r s . h t m l . Check that out. Just look at the second Q&A thing and that should explain it. I think there has been a lot of confusion concerning that phrase but, if David Salo said it, I am going to believe it! ;) Thanks for helping though. I am glad you took the time to try to help. Hehe. It means 'I love you', by the way. Thanks for reading and reviewing! (And take the spaces off the link. Also, if you look closely at it, part of the beginning is missing. I don't know why but the page won't let me add the ':' and the extra '/'. If it doesn't work, drop me an email and I will send something else.)**

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Hehe! I am glad I made you happy! And look! You are in this chapter a lot! Hehe! I hope this was soon enough for you…and thank you for taking the time to answer all of my weird questions concerning Iaurtondariel. Much appreciated. :) As for the number thing, I will tell you that it has to do with Norui. grin Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Lasien- Hehe, you know, I think I am loosing it as an author. I read your review and you said that you knew Turwaithiel was a shifter and I was thinking, "Whaaat? Where'd I put that in?" LOL. I didn't even remember what happened in the chapter until I was writing this chapter! But yes, you are right. She and Uhako are shifters who are in looove:plays some romance sonata: Aw, we are all smart and stupid in our own little way! Hehe! How'd that come to be arranged? Hehe, well, I can't tell you that except that I am his little sister! Muahaha! lol, no, I'm not sadly but oh well. I can dream, can't I! Thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**Legolas's 9- X'D Wow! Well, thank you! I can really feel the love! LOL! I am glad you still like the story, though. That is what is most important, I think. You can me aaaall you want but if you like the story, I am happy:grin: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Aw, you have no health insurance? Hmm, that is a shame…maybe I can give you Norui and you can sell him for money! (Norui: WHAT! I thought you loved me!) He is, after all, a fine specimen and is worth quite a lot of money. (Norui: ….:sniffle: ) Hehe, I am glad you still have a smirk on your face! That tells me that you are enjoying the story! And that is good, my friend! Good! I hope I get lots of pictures, too! If I get around to it, I'll post 'em here and you and the others can take a look. ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing! (But you no review on Red Bird! I was freaking out, like, "Oh no! My most faithful reviewer is gone! What did I do wrong:searches frantically through her chapters: ) **

**Well, that is about it…so much for keeping it short. Hmm, oh well. :grins: I leave in four days and then meet Billy in five! Woo hoo! But my mom and I are going to stalk him on Friday around Pittsburgh. Hehe, we have a plan all set out! I am going to run behind him and she is going to trip him, then I am going to tackle him and tie him up and take 'em home with me! Yay! Okay, see you all later!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	30. Unintended Confessions

**Hmm, well, not a good turn out so not much to say. I hope you like this chapter.**

**By the way, some information. 'Muruién' is pronounced 'Mur-oo-e-an' and the singular form of it is 'Muru'. That might come in handy this chapter…Oh well. Enjoy.**

**XXXXX**

Chapter 30- Unintended Confessions

The painted horse nickered softly and snorted as she came to a halt. The sun was beginning to peek over the mountains in the distance, coloring the sky in pinks and oranges and the creatures of the land were poking their heads out of the nests and burrows.

Legolas and Jaimea slid off Runyariel's back quickly and gazed around. Flowers of white and yellow were strewn about all around the porch of a large wooden cabin and tall trees shaded the area from the sun. The faint trickling of a stream rushing over stones reached their sensitive ears and they smiled.

"Do you think this is Lady Iaurtondariel's home?" The prince asked.

"It might be." The elleth replied, "Runyariel seems to be perfectly at home." The two elves glanced over to the said horse who was busy pawing and chomping at the grass contentedly. The ellon nodded.

"Let us go in then, shall we?" He asked with a small smile. She chuckled.

"Let's." Legolas offered her his arm and she took it with a small curtsy. He laughed, eyes twinkling, and they went up the porch and entered the house.

Old maps and paintings were scattered haphazardly on the walls and old parchments littered every table. The hallway continued into a corner and opened into a spacious room with a long couch and a crackling fire place. A single large map was spread out on the center table, displaying the whole vastness of Middle Earth and a portrait of what appeared to be Iaurtondariel and another woman was hung over the fireplace.

The elves continued through the hall and came to yet another room that looked to be a kitchen. A black pot was hung over the remains of a flame in another fireplace and a small cellar was hidden in the furthest corner. While Jaimea gazed around at all of the glass vases and figures lining the shelves, Legolas found his attention dwindling and he continued the exploration of the house.

The halls continued on and on like a labyrinth, some passages leading to dead ends and others leading to empty closets and rooms. The prince was amazed at how much could fit in the tiny cabin without it being cramped. Yet another door came into his view and he couldn't help his curiosity.

The ellon opened the door only to be tackled by a large, gray creature. He cried out as his back hit the floor sharply with the beast still on top of him. Its body was covered in thick, gray hair, almost black, and had a long muzzle and tail. Its triangle shaped ears were laid flat against its slender head and its teeth were bared.

Legolas gulped when he felt a blob of saliva drip from its mouth onto his tunic and he felt its sharp claws flex on his chest. He stared wide eyed at the creature and it returned the stare unwaveringly. The prince held his breath when he heard the elleth's soft footsteps come around the corner. The beast snarled as she revealed a strip of jerky from behind her back.

Jaimea quickly tossed it in a corner and the animal leapt from the elf, then began to hungrily gnaw on the meat. Legolas scrambled to his feet and the elves dashed out of the house, hearts pounding in their chests. They could hear the clattering and scraping of its claws on the floor and its vicious barks as it pursued them. Once outside, they quickly slammed the door only to hear a crash from within. After a moment, they took their weight off the door and slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Well, now what?" Jaimea questioned.

"I do not know." The prince replied, "But why was there a blasted wolf in Lady Iaurtondariel's home!" Runyariel looked up from her grazing and nickered in laughter at the two elves' plights. Espenshade was perched upon the roof with her feathers puffed up in mirth. The ellon glared at the two creatures but jumped in surprise when he heard another crash from inside. The two exchanged glances before they ran to the window.

The wolf was standing on the couch, ripping apart the pillows and cushions. The table had been knocked over and the large map was nearly shredded. Legolas groaned while Jaimea just glared at him.

"What exactly were you doing?" She demanded accusingly.

"I was just having a look around." He replied, shuffling his feet nervously. Since when do I feel intimidated by a she-elf, he thought with an inaudible snort.

"Well, I hope you are happy." She replied bitterly and the ellon winced.

"I am sorry, Jaimea." He said quietly. When he received no response, he sighed in defeat, "Let's try to get some sleep. We have not gotten any all night long." After a moment's hesitation, she nodded and plopped down onto her bottom.

"Alright." She said and lay down completely, facing away from the ellon. Legolas sighed once again and took off his cloak. Very gently, he placed it over top of her and she glanced up at him sharply. He offered her a soft smile, then lay down, facing away.

He rested his head on one arm and sighed heavily, trying to clear his mind. Memories came flooding back to him as he recalled the feeling of plummeting to their expected death. He was not sure if he should be pleased or not about the elleth not remembering his words or actions to her. They were done without a thought, only fearing what he thought was inevitable. To feel her lips brushing against his own and the sensation of having his arms wrapped around her thin body overwhelmed him and any reasonable thoughts.

Perhaps it was because the last time he had uttered those words was when his Naneth was still with him. He feared to be too close to anyone after having her taken from him so early. Perhaps that before he left Middle Earth to Mandos's Halls, he wanted to utter those words one last time; no matter who was there to receive them. Legolas sighed.

'Yes, that is it.' He thought quickly.

"Legolas?" The elleth called suddenly, shaking the prince from his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder at her with a questioning gaze. He instantly thought of the worst things that could happen; her being able to read his mind, though that seemed highly unlikely, he thought. Perhaps he displayed his emotions on his face too clearly or maybe she had indeed remembered those words.

"Yes, Jaimea?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"You may lay with me, if you choose."

Legolas's face instantly brightened and all dreary thoughts left his mind. He shifted over to his quietly and snaked an arm around her waist gently. She turned to face him with a shy smile and pulled the cloak so that it covered them both. He held her close, tucking her head under his chin with a small smile creeping up on his lips. He heard the elleth give a contented sigh and snuggle into his chest.

'Perhaps I spoke the truth then.' He thought, 'Maybe- No. I cannot think that way about her. I barely know her, for Eru's sake! I have been too bold with her and perhaps have even given her the wrong impression.' He sighed, unconsciously bringing his arms tighter around her, 'No, it was said in a moment's desperation for love…nothing more.'

"Legolas?" Jaimea asked quietly, sensing the turmoil in his heart. He managed a small smile and kissed the top of her head.

"Sleep, Jaimea." He said softly and his smile grew when he felt more then saw her smile. Slowly, his eyes glazed over and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

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At around midday, the group trotted up towards a large, wooden house. Colorful flowers and trees littered the area and, in front of the porch, lay two figures. Iaurtondariel furrowed her brow when she saw them and approached the two slowly. Her mare, Runyariel, was busy trotting about and chewing on the grass while a Peregrine falcon was perched upon the roof with her head tucked in his wings.

'Why didn't they go inside?' The woman thought once she realized that the people were Jaimea and Legolas. She bent down and brushed a stray hair out of the ellon's face, then smiled and stood up.

"I present to you your Prince Legolas of Mirkwood and his lady, Princess Jaimea!" She announced, throwing her arms up in the air with a grin. The twins cackled quietly together while Norui just frowned.

"She is no princess." He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, it seems to me that she will be eventually. Just look at them, my lord!" The elleth retorted, motioning towards the elves on the ground. The Crown Prince snorted and came forward.

"Legolas, wake up!" He shouted, nudging his brother with his foot. The golden haired elf jerked slightly and looked up tiredly at the ellon. After a few moments, he registered what was in front of him and he leapt to his feet.

"Norui, let me explain! We were chased by a pack of wolves off the edge of a cliff and we were swept down the river and then we were found by a lady who sent us here only to be attacked by yet another wolf inside!" He rambled, never stopping for breath. The Crown Prince looked at him in amusement, not noticing the elleth behind him who had also clambered to her feet.

"You said a wolf in the house?" Iaurtondariel questioned, stepping forward. Legolas nodded and the elleth laughed, "That is only Maladiel!" She said, already walking up the porch. Jaimea and the prince exchanged worried glances before following the elleth.

"That is not a good idea, my lady." The ellon called but she didn't answer. She opened the door and laughed again when the same creature came charging out of the house and stopped at the frightened elleth and ellon, snarling.

Legolas quickly took Jaimea and moved her behind himself protectively, glaring dangerously at the beast. Iaurtondariel's laughter didn't even reach his ears.

"Maladiel!" She called and the beast turned to her, "They are friends. Now, come back inside." The wolf barked and trotted quickly back inside. The elleth watched her with a smile and then turned to the others, "You may come in." She said and went inside. The group exchanged uneasy glances, fearing what else they might find inside, but finally followed her. Legolas barely caught his brother shooting him a disapproving look but he paid no heed to it.

There was a sudden gasp from another room and they all rushed to see what was wrong. Laughter threatened to burst from the companions when they took in the state of the room.

Feathers were strewn all around the room and items had been knocked off their shelves. The couch was shredded in some places and the stuffing was bursting out like snow. Pictures had some how fallen from the wall and ash footprints were tracked all over the destroyed furniture. Iaurtondariel did not even noticed Maladiel sit beside her with her tongue drooping out. The elleth spun around to face the wolf who only quirked its head at her.

"What have you done?" She gasped, not believing the sight before her eyes.

Suddenly, a bright light escaped the wolf's being, surrounding her and hiding her from view. The group watched her curiously and worriedly, wondering what was going on. When the light dissipated, the wolf was replaced with a tall, slender woman. Her ears were pointed but more sharply then an elf's would be. Straight, golden hair reached to her mid-back and her eyes were a deep, almost eerie, black. She glanced around at the group with curious eyes and then turned back to Iaurtondariel.

"What I was doing was intimidating those two elves who broke into the house." She explained, her voice almost identical to the elleth's.

"By destroying it! You have only proved that you are mad!" She retorted. The woman only glared and then turned to the company. Her eyes suddenly lit up when they landed upon the old wizard. Her lips turned up into a grin and she threw herself upon him, laughing. Mithrandir's laughter rang out as he patted the woman on the back.

"It is wonderful to see you, too!" He chuckled and she let him go.

"What brings you here?" She asked, still grinning.

"That, my dear, can be answered later." The Istar said, "Right now, you might want to speak with your sister." He added with a small grin. The woman groaned, then turned back to Iaurtondariel.

"Why must I even listen to you?" She complained, "I am older then you."

"What does that matter, Maladiel? You completely destroyed the living quarters, for Valar's sake!" She shouted, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation, "You should know better!"

Mithrandir shook his head with a sigh and muttered under his breath. He motioned with his staff for the others to come as he continued down the hallway. They all shot confused glances between the two ladies, then reluctantly walked after the old wizard.

The company found him leaning his gnarled staff in the corner and placing his pointed hat on the table. He sat upon one of the chairs by the table with a tired sigh and looked towards them with a small smile. Norui immediately broke from the group and stormed to the wizard, arms crossed.

"Who are these people?" He asked hotly, "Why are we here?" Mithrandir instantly frowned.

"We are here because those two women can help us, Noruion." He replied with a commanding tone, "As for whom they are, the young elleth is Iaurtondariel and her sister's name is Maladiel. You need not worry; I would trust them with my life."

"How did that one change forms?"

"She will answer that later."

"No, Mithrandir!" The ellon yelled, slamming his fists on the table, "I want to know now!" The Istar fixed him with a stern glare and said nothing. Norui's breathing quickened and he opened his mouth to speak again but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He spun around, eyes wide with fury, but soon softened when he saw the one behind him.

"Norui, calm down." Lothron said gently, "Mithrandir had a good reason for bringing us here, I am sure. Just relax." The Crown Prince stared at his sister for a few moments before finally sighing and defeat and nodded.

"Fine." He replied and lifted his gaze only to be met with those of the two ladies.

"Is everything alright?" Iaurtondariel asked with a frown.

"Can we do anything to help?" Maladiel questioned. The old wizard smiled and stood.

"Perhaps some tea would do and then any questions that need answering will be." Both sisters nodded with small smiles before setting to work. Estel and Arwen took off to a different room to discuss some 'important matters', as they put it while the others went off to rearrange the destroyed living quarters.

Whilst cleaning, Lothron noticed her older brother acting strangely. He seemed agitated and uneasy in the house and it made her wonder. Every time Iaurtondariel would come near him his foul mood increased and he would snap at her. When the elleth seemed near to screaming at him, the princess quickly grabbed his arm and tugged.

"We need to talk." She said quietly. The Crown Prince gave her a questioning stare before finally following.

Once out of earshot of the others, Lothron spun around to face the ellon. Norui still wore the questioning stare and she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. The two elves continued like this for a few moments as if waiting for the other to say something. When the elleth never did, the Crown Prince quirked his eyebrow and began to turn away but she stopped him once more.

"Why have you been acting so foully?" She asked bluntly.

"I know not of which you speak." He replied defensively. Lothron scoffed.

"What do you mean?" She hissed, "You have been very angry lately; something that I do not often see."

"I have been through much, sister." He replied shortly.

"Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only affected, Gwador." She replied, "Look at Legolas and Jaimea! They were nearly killed in the river yet they do not sit and pout as you do! You behave as if you were still an elfling! Tell me what is truly bothering you so greatly, excluding the shadow that looms over us all." (Brother)

Norui sighed as he leaned against the wall, running his hand over his face. Lothron took a step towards him and placed a hand gently on his cheek. He looked up at her with glistening eyes, finally allowing his pain to show through.

"I am here for you, Norui." The elleth whispered, "Tell me what ails you so that I may help you." The ellon searched her eyes for the longest time before letting his head fall.

"I think about Glithiel and Ada so much, Lothron, so much that it is unbearable and I cannot think straight."

"This cannot be all."

"'Tis not, let me finish." He said and she nodded, "I dream about my love every night and hearing that she might be dead takes my breath away. I cannot feel and I cannot see and I am lost when I hear those words. I would fade if I ever lost her. She is my life."

Lothron smiled sadly as she lifted his head up to look her in the eye. His eyes glittered with unshed tears and the princess felt her heart break.

"I never knew how deeply you loved her, Norui, and I am sorry." She said, "But I look in your eyes and see that there is more to your pain."

"Indeed."

"Then tell me. I cannot guess what troubles you." She said with a soft chuckle. He managed a weak smile but it soon faded.

"It is Iaurtondariel." He replied so quietly that the elleth had to strain her ears.

"What did she do?"

"She did not do anything." He replied, earning himself a confused look from Lothron, "Except remind me of my beloved."

"You surely do not mean that you fancy her, do you?" The princess demanded, looking shocked.

"No!" Norui spat in disgust, "That is not it at all. She reminds me of Glithiel because they look so much alike, Lothron, so much."

With a furrowed brow, the elleth glanced back out into the kitchen where the one they spoke off was busy tending the fire beneath the kettle. For the first time, she really took in her appearance and was shocked at the similarities she found in the elleth and the one she would surely call 'sister-in-law' one day. Both had dark hair and came to their mid back and both had emerald eyes that sparkled with mischief. They even sounded the same, now that she thought about it, and her heart went to her brother.

"I am sorry." She said, "But you must know that you cannot continue treating her as you do. It is not her fault that she looks like Glithiel and you should not put her at blame for a mere coincidence."

"That is not my intent but I cannot help the grief that I feel." He replied.

There was a call from the living quarters and the two elves looked in. Most of the things had been cleared off of the floor and some of the furniture had been stitched up, thanks to Melyanna, Jaimea and Arwen. The room was at least suitable to sit in. Lothron looked back to the Crown Prince with a smile.

"Do not let such things get to you." She said, "Before you know it, you will be back home in your lover's arms, safe and sound." Norui smiled.

"Thank you, my sister." He said, placing a kiss on her cheek. The elleth chuckled and patted his cheek gently.

"Come, perhaps some tea would calm you." She suggested and led him out of the room.

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Steam wafted up from the porcelain cup as boiling water was poured inside. Soft hands took it gently and raised it to their lips with a sigh. The sweet scent of the tea reached their nose, creating a calming effect.

"It seems as if it has been ages since I have had a steaming cup of tea." Elrohir mused, smiling gratefully at Iaurtondariel. She smiled slightly and hurried back into the kitchen to replace the kettle.

"It has not been ages, my brother, but centuries for sure." Elladan quipped, "Ever since Ada slipped the sleeping herbs in your tea, you have refused to drink it, no matter how much he convinced you he did nothing to it." The younger twin only glared at him and took a sip from the cup.

Once the elleth had returned, the company sat in silence, each enjoying the luxury that they had not had in many weeks. Quiet whispers were exchanged between the lovers in the group but the golden haired prince was only aware of a pair of piercing emerald eyes staring intently at his face.

Ever since he had returned with Lothron, Norui has never let his gaze fall from Legolas and the young ellon felt anxious under his scrutinizing eyes. He risked looking up at his brother and immediately wished he had not.

"Could you take a step outside with me, Gwador-nín?" The Crown Prince asked as he stood up. Legolas swallowed hard and nodded, worried about what was about to take place. He set his cup down on the table and followed his brother out the door. He didn't even notice Espenshade swoop out after him.

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The two ellons walked in uneasy silence around the small garden. Legolas would steal glances out of the corner of his eye at his brother but found that he showed no move to speak. The same stoic expression was on his face and it drove the young prince mad.

"What would you like to speak to me about?" He asked hesitantly. Norui jumped slightly as if he forgot he was there. He looked to his brother and came to a halt.

"I must ask you something." He replied, looking into his eyes and unnerving him.

'That is what Jaimea says when she wants to tell me something.' Legolas thought suddenly, confusing him greatly and he mentally chastised himself, 'Why do I think of her as much as I do!'

"What is it?" He asked, willing his thoughts away.

"What is going on between you and Jaimea?"

Legolas's eyes widened slightly, the question taking him completely by surprise. Never before had his brother been so forward about things, always dancing around them, and he always respected his privacy.

"I do believe that it is my business alone." He replied tersely.

"Legolas, you must answer this. Please, I need to know." Norui said in a more demanding voice, "Just make things easy." The golden haired elf took another glance at the Crown Prince and looked away, continuing their walk.

"I do not know." Legolas replied as Norui fell in step with him.

"What do you mean? Surely, you must know your own desires." He commented.

"I cannot sort out my feelings for her. I have known her for only a month or two but I feel a great attraction to her." He explained, "I do not know if it is love or if it is just a simple attraction, nothing more." The two walked on for a few more moments in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I can only offer you one piece of advice, Legolas." Norui said quietly, "And that is to leave her be." The young ellon felt his heart drop at his words and he quickly snapped his head to look at the other elf.

"What do you mean?" He breathed, "How can I do that if there really is love between us?"

"If you courted her now, Legolas, it would only prove as a distraction. Your senses would be blurred so that you could only see her, protect her. You would be blind to any danger that comes your way."

"You do not know this."

"I have had more experience in the matters of the heart, Gwador! I know what I speak of."

"I am distracted by her now, Norui, and accepting my love for her would only make things better! Constantly worrying if she is alright and happy is all I do! I just cannot get my mind off of the elleth and it is driving me mad." Legolas exclaimed, "I have never felt anything like this before, Norui, and now you want me to throw it all away?"

"If you know what is best for her, us, for Ada and for our people, you will not get involved with her!"

"I cannot control my own heart!" The young prince shouted, clenching his fists at his side. The two elves stared each other down for the longest time, neither removing their glares from one another. The crisp breeze blew around them, making their cloaks and hair billow out around them. Not even the sound of birds sang out, too afraid to make noise lest they incur the wrath of the elven princes upon them.

"You do not chastise our siblings from loving." Legolas hissed, "Nor do you chastise yourself."

"Those loves have already taken place, Legolas, and cannot be undone." Norui growled in response.

"But mine can be undone!"

"I thought you said you do not love."

A heat rose up to Legolas's neck as he realized what he had said. He quickly looked away from his brother and soon found that the grass was much more interesting. He stole a quick glance up at the Crown Prince but quickly replaced his gaze on his boots.

"Legolas?"

"Leave me alone, Norui." The golden haired elf said quietly and stormed off. Norui watched him go with steely eyes.

"Remember what I said, Legolas. Do what is right."

This went ignored by the young prince who had already disappeared inside the house, leaving Norui to stand in the wake of the first argument that had occurred between the two brothers ever since they were both born into the world.

**XXXXX**

**There you go. I am sorry it was so boring but I was running out of things to write. A majority of this chapter was just thought up randomly, hehe. I really need to write more in my book. **

**Also, I was going over my earlier chapters and I am completely in shock at how badly I would write. I was planning on going back and editing them all to make them better. What do you think about that? **

**By the way, if anyone wanted to see the pictures I took with Billy Boyd, drop me an email and I will ship them off to you. ;) There is also one other picture that I made of Legolas and Jaimea. BUT I did NOT draw the pictures you would see. I just morphed them together. I do not know who drew them but I thought that they fit. If you want to see any of these pictures, drop me an email. **

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Hehe, I told you I would get an update eventually. ;) When you say that I have a way of writing things, do you mean that in a good way? I hope you like your characters…I think they could go through some more therapy a.k.a character development but you tell me. Hehe, your sister enters now. :p Attachments as in love? No, I think not. Well, um…nah, I won't tell you. All I'll say is that you will have a big part to play when it comes to him. ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing::hugs:**

**Sabre's Brother- Hehe, thanks, sweetie…and if you are older then thanks, DUDE! Lol! I hope your sister didn't hurt you too badly. If she did, I give you permission to go beat her up:D (Sorry, Sabre, just kidding.) **

**Sabre's Other Brother- And thank you also. :) You and your other brother can go tag team on your sister, if you want. :grin: **

**Well, this wasn't the best chapter and last chapter didn't get the best turnout. Thanks to Sabre who motivated me to get this one out. Diola lle, mellon-nín. **

**Also, Call of the Red Bird is complete with epilogue! Please go read it! There is nothing nasty in it, just rated M because of some violence. I promise! Now…**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Come on, I just had my birthday on the thirty-first! Manwathiel wants a birthday gift from her readers! ;) **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	31. I Do Not But I Wish I Did

**Well, I got a little better this time, I guess. Where is everybody? GAH! **

**PLEASE READ**

**Alright, I must ask a favor of those of you who have not done this yet. If you plan on continuing reading this until the very ending, I suggest going to read 'Call of the Red Bird'. There are going to be some references to it in future chapters and you will be completely lost if you don't read it. There is nothing bad in it; it is 'M' because of violence and that is it. Thanks. **

**By the way, italics in this chapter represent a flashback.**

**XXXXX**

Chapter 31- I Do Not But I Wish I Did

The door burst open to reveal a very stressed ellon. He looked around to where the others should have been but found that they were absent from the room, perhaps to give the two brothers some privacy. The prince shook his head and strode into the room.

Legolas dropped down quickly into his seat and rested his head in his hands. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he tried to shake the thoughts out of his mind. Why had he said such things? He had told himself that it was only sisterly love for the blonde haired elleth, not anything more.

'It was just a slip of the tongue.' He thought, 'And I did not mean what I told Norui. I could not love anyone; they would be taken away from me. Just like Naneth, Celebrían, and- No. I cannot think of that time.' He sighed heavily as he rubbed his eyes with his palms.

"Legolas?" Someone called and the prince looked up just enough so that his eyes were showing.

"Yes, Iaurtondariel?" He asked softly. He vaguely felt the elleth sit beside him.

"What is the matter?" She questioned, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. He looked up at her and smiled slightly.

"Nothing, I am fine, my lady." He replied.

"Are you sure? You seem troubled." He shook his head, "Well, alright. Can I get you anything?"

"Could you please tell my sister, Lothron, that I would like to speak with her for a moment?" He answered and she nodded, smiling.

"Of course." She said and stood, walking away to find the dark haired elleth. Legolas watched her disappear around the corner before sighing and hiding his face once again. Maybe Norui was right; perhaps it would be best to make sure that nothing happened between Jaimea and himself. It would only distract him and her.

He heard the soft footsteps of someone approaching slowly and he looked up. Lothron smiled softly at him as she sat down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Legolas gave her a weak smile before placing a brotherly kiss on her cheek. The elleth chuckled and patted his cheek.

"What would you like to speak to me about?" She asked gently. A frown appeared on the ellon's lips and he turned around.

"I seek advice from you." He replied and stood, "Come, I wish to go somewhere private." Lothron fixed him a curious gaze before nodding and following him as he strode outside. Even more confusion swept through the princess when Norui stormed past them and into the kitchen without even sparing them a glance.

She found Legolas sitting out on the porch in the same position he was before. Lothron once again sat beside him and nudged him gently.

"Now go on." She urged, smiling at him. The young prince looked her up and down before staring out into the distance.

"It is Jaimea." He whispered so quietly even she had to strain her ears. Lothron furrowed her brow.

"What about her?" She asked, eyeing her brother curiously. Legolas felt a blush rise up on his cheeks and he kept his gaze averted from hers.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" He asked quietly, "I cannot keep her off of my mind. She haunts my thoughts and dreams everyday and night."

Lothron stared in shock at her young brother. Was he saying that he feelings for the golden haired elleth? The princess sighed as she looked down into her hands and thoughts of a past conversation that had taken place even before they left Rivendell passed through her mind, setting a small frown on her lips.

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_Lothron and Melyanna crossed their arms with glares on their faces as they stared down at the elleth on her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. The older princess exchanged glances with her sister before sighing in annoyance._

"_Jaimea, do not plead like that. It is degrading to yourself." She said, motioning for her to stand up._

"_You must not ever tell him this, my ladies! I cannot have Legolas looking upon me in any other way; that is what would be degrading to me if he looked down upon me." She replied, trying to fight back her tears._

"_We will not tell him anything." Lothron said, earning herself a glare from the brown haired princess beside her, "You must tell him when the moment is right otherwise we will not hesitate to tell everyone in the company." _

_Jaimea looked up at the two elleths before her with wide eyes._

"_Thank you, princesses." She breathed, "I am forever in your debt." The Crown Princess nodded once before motioning for her to stand. The young elleth quickly obeyed, leaping to her feet and curtseying deeply._

"_We must make one request of you though." She added and Jaimea nodded._

"_Anything." _

"_Stay away from Legolas." _

_Jaimea's eyes widened and her jaw dropped the slightest bit. She looked between the elleths' stoic faces and swallowed hard. Why would they ask such a thing of her?_

"_But, my lady, he is-"_

"_You can befriend him all you want, Jaimea." Melyanna quickly cut in. _

"_But do not seek to engage in a romantic relationship with him. Legolas does not need a lover right now." Lothron finished, "But even when this is all over, still do not hope for him to court you. Such a relationship would be frowned upon." The blonde haired elleth nodded quickly._

"_Of course not. I would not think of such a thing; we are only friends." _

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Lothron glanced over at her young brother out of the corner of her eye. She had promised Jaimea she would not tell anyone about her secret and she planned to keep to her word.

For a while, at least.

"Oselle?" Legolas called suddenly, causing the elleth to jump slightly. The princess looked over at him with a small smile and reached out to touch his cheek in a sisterly way. The prince quirked an eyebrow but smiled nonetheless, bringing his hand to rest on her own. (Sister)

"Do you love her, Gwador-nín?" She asked, still smiling. She had to bite her lips to keep from laughing out loud at his expression of surprise and embarrassment. (my brother)

"Well, I do not know anymore." He replied, clearing his throat, "I have told myself that everything that has happened between us is only in friendship but I am not so sure once I think about it. We have discussed it before and came to an agreement that we only love each other as siblings, if you understand."

"I think it best if you discuss it again, Legolas, and be honest with her about your feelings." The elleth replied and he nodded.

"Yes but Norui has said that I should leave her alone; not to get involved with her right now." Lothron sighed and played with the hem on her sleeves, thinking about what she could do for her brother.

"He is right as well, you know. You would be distracted from our mission, as well as she, if you were to begin courting her." She explained. Legolas opened his mouth to speak but the elleth stopped him, holding out her hand gently, "You do not know why our brother fears as he does for you."

"What do you mean?" He asked, eyeing her curiously.

"Did you not notice that Turwaithiel is not with us?" She questioned quietly with a frown, "When you and Jaimea were missing, she betrayed us all. She struck Norui over the head with her staff, attempting to kill him, we think, but the blow was not strong enough. She revealed herself as one of the Muruién, at least according to Norui, and once we found Gwador-mín, she was long gone." (our brother)

A wave of anger and worry flooded over the young prince as he stared at the princess before him. So Espenshade was right all along, he thought. The lady had been nothing but lies since they had arrived and it had nearly lost them a life of a comrade.

'I should have told someone about the lie she presented to us all yet no one detected it.' He thought, biting his bottom lip, 'Jaimea was right when she said to let somebody know.'

"Lothron! Legolas!" Someone called from inside the house, "Come back inside!" Legolas shot his sister one last glance and a weak smile before standing up and going back inside, shortly followed by the elleth.

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Everyone had gathered back into the living quarters and were seated back in their original spot. The two elves strode slowly into the room and sat down next to their other siblings, shooting each other small smiles. The group sat in silence for a few long moments before Mithrandir sighed

"I suppose we have some things to discuss." The old wizard said and everyone leaned forward in their seats as if on cue. He kneaded his forehead for a moment with his eyes closed. After a long moment and everyone thought the Istar to be asleep, Mithrandir looked up again, fixing his gaze upon Norui, "Your question should be answered first." He said and turned to Maladiel, "My dear, could you please explain how you changed forms?"

The woman looked to the wizard over a cup of tea and nodded. She looked over to Norui with a smile.

"Of course, Mithrandir." She replied and balanced the cup on her lap, "I can change because I am one of the Muruién."

Gasps and frantic whispers broke out in the group, excluding Mithrandir and Iaurtondariel, while Maladiel just glanced around at everyone worriedly, chewing on her bottom lip. She looked to the Istar and he only gave her a reassuring smile. The Muru just continued biting her lip and shuffling her feet anxiously.

Finally, Norui stood up. His eyes had turned from their normal bright emerald to a pale olive, showing his anger, while distrust radiated off of his form. The lady could only sink down into her seat, praying that Mithrandir would come to her rescue.

"Have you forgotten our purpose, Mithrandir?" He hisses, venom dripping off of his words, "Have you forgotten who it is that has my Ada and my people under its spell? I, for one, have not let this fact slip from my mind!"

"Norui, please, sit." The wizard said calmly, motioning for the elf to lower, "All will be explained in good time."

"Now is a good time!" The Crown Prince yelled, making everyone jump slightly. The wizard stared hard at the ellon for the longest time before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

The three siblings of the outraged elf tore their gazes from their brother and exchanged worried glances. True, this woman was of the same race of the being that held their father captive in his own mind. Norui had a right to be angry, in a way, for he had also suffered under the hands of the Muru. But his behavior was unacceptable for the Crown Prince of Mirkwood.

"Norui, please calm down." Melyanna said softly. She winced when the elf only tensed.

"Let Lady Maladiel explain." Lothron added just as gently, "You know as well as I do that she has not harmed us in any way."

The soft voices of his sisters soothed him slightly and, with a glare to both Muru and wizard, he took his seat once more. Mithrandir shot him a disapproving look, then motioned for the lady to continue. Maladiel cleared her throat.

"My father was one of the Muruién and met my mother, an elf, on one of his travels. He fell in love with her almost immediately and went completely out of his way to try to be with her as much as possible. She did not return the affection immediately but within fifty years, they had married in elvish custom." She explained, "I was born only a few years after that, shortly followed by Iaurtondariel the next year.

"But on the day of her birth, my father was out hunting for supper where he was attacked by a pack of wolves, armed with only his small hunting bow and a small dagger. My mother gave birth without him and shortly succumbed to grief when she found him dead, leaving us to fend for ourselves."

"Is this where Mithrandir came in, my lady?" Elladan asked, looking over at her with a curious twinkle in his eyes. She smiled.

"Yes, it is." She replied, "Mithrandir was a good friend of my parents and I knew him well when I was still a child. He was there with my mother as she gave birth but had to leave the following day, stating something about having urgent news.

"When he returned, he found me outside in the forest as I tried to set a trap for food. I was only a few years at that time and no where near ready to fend for myself or support my sister. He took me back to the house where he raised us as his own."

"And that is as far as we should go on that matter." The old wizard cut in suddenly, "We have other things to talk about." He smiled softly at the lady who quickly sunk deeper into her chair, allowing the fragrance of the tea waft into her nose.

Uneasiness settled in the room, rendering everyone silent. Maladiel shifted uncomfortably in her chair and the idea that Norui still was suspicious of her tugged heavily at her mind. She glanced over at her sister furrowed her brow when she saw that she held a hazy look in her eyes. She thought for a moment that she had fallen asleep and was about the yell at her but reconsidered when Iaurtondariel blinked and looked over to her with a soft smile. Maladiel quirked an eyebrow, as if asking what she was thinking about, but the elleth shook her head and looked away.

"My lady?" A voice took the Muru out of her thoughts and she looked up to meet the eyes of Arwen, "Would you please tell us something of your people?"

"Of course." She replied, smiling, "Well, our main city is in the forest outside of Edhellond; my mother's homeland. We tend to keep to ourselves, not wanting to meddle in the affairs of others."

"I have heard that you torment innocent people and devour them heartlessly." Norui spat, stilling glowering. Mithrandir growled at the Crown Prince while the others just looked away, not wanting to get involved.

"The Muruien do not seek out people, my lord." The lady said, grinding her teeth, "Those who do are murderers and exiles to our land." Sensing the tension the in the room, Iaurtondariel stood quickly.

"I am going to fetch something to eat." She said hurriedly and walked off to the kitchen. The Istar sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Would you please continue, Maladiel?" He sighed. She only buried herself deeper into the velvet couch and nodded once.

"As you noticed, we can change shapes but every Muru has their own dominant shape though they can still shift into anything that they desire. There are two Muruien that have the same dominant shape and those two are what we call 'life mates'."

"But you said your father married an elf." Lothron pointed out.

"Yes but that is because his life mate was killed in an ambush by orcs of the White Mountains." She replied.

"But do Muruien not bond for life?" Elrohir asked as he leaned forward in his seat but looked away when the other elleth came back in the room.

Iaurtondariel smiled slightly at everyone as she strode back to the group, carrying a tray with assorted breads, cheese and dried meat. The company's eyes locked onto the foods as if they had not eaten in days and she laughed, bringing the platter around to all of the companions.

She stopped in front of Norui who looked up at her with a tired gaze. She smiled shyly and motioned towards the food with her head. The Crown Prince managed a weak smile at her and took a small piece of bread, nodding his head in thanks. Iaurtondariel's smile brightened and she placed the tray on the table in the middle of the room, then retook her seat.

"Well," Maladiel began again, "We do bond for life in a way, yes. Once we meet that person, we do not notice anyone else unless our partner dies somehow. Then, if the person decides to take another lover, it will not be of the Muruién." The Noldor elf nodded in understanding, smiling slightly.

"And how do you go about killing one?" The Crown Prince asked, also leaning forward in his seat. Maladiel glared at him but soon softened when she saw the innocent and sincere look on his face.

"Why do you want to know this? What business have you with the Muruién?" She questioned, pleased that he was not as harsh but she was suspicious nonetheless. The old Istar sighed as he closed his eyes and the Muru turned her scrutinizing gaze on him, "Mithrandir, what did you come for?" He looked up to the lady's gaze and sighed again when he saw the hardened glare she wore.

"The Woodland Realm of Mirkwood is under a spell made by a Muru. Many elves have fallen into its trap including the Elvenking." He explained slowly, "We need to destroy the creature before it destroys the kingdom." Maladiel frowned deeply.

"How long has is been?" She questioned.

"A month, at the most." Norui supplied, speaking much softer now. The woman's frown only deepened.

"Not many can survive that long once a Muru takes hold of their mind."

Norui felt himself go numb as those words passed through his mind his face visibly pales. His heart quickened as he stole glances at his siblings who had the same expressions on their own faces. The Crown Prince swallowed hard.

"They are dead?" He breathed.

"That is not what I said." Maladiel quickly amended, "I do not know the people who you speak of. What I can tell you though is that the Muruién have weaker holds over the elves then they do men. They may yet be alive."

A great weight was lifted off the young ellon's shoulders but it did not diminish completely. Norui noticed that the faces of his siblings appeared much calmer but he could sense the turmoil that they were still going through.

"How do you destroy a Muru though? We cannot achieve anything if we do not know its weakness." Estel said quickly, trying to gain as much information as possible. Maladiel sighed and rested back into her chair, closing her eyes in thought.

"A Muru is at is weakest when in its other form. Only there can it be killed."

"We cannot expect the creature to willingly shift if it knows it will be harmed. There must be another way." Lothron cut in suddenly, "Surely, we could think of something else." The Muru shot the elleth a quick glance before nodding slowly.

"Aye, there is another way." She said, "But I wish not to use it."

"Please, dear, we must know." Mithrandir said, "If this Muru is not destroyed, the largest elven realm might very well fall."

"But what of my people, Mithrandir!" She snapped, "If this method were to fail, the whole Muruién race would die!"

Silence fell over the room and tension was thick in the air. No one dared to move, only glancing at each other out of the corners of their eyes. Everyone held their breath, waiting for someone to break the silence. Not even the bravest in the group could face the wrath of the Muru's eyes.

"Perhaps we should take a break." Elrohir suggested quietly. No one said a word but stood to go relieve their own tension. Maladiel sighed heavily while Iaurtondariel rushed over to her.

"Would you prefer it if I explained it to them?" She asked once everyone was gone.

"No, I'd rather not tell them at all. I cannot risk my people." The Muru replied quietly, "If they were to fail, it would be the downfall of us all."

"But if we do not help them, it would be their own end." Iaurtondariel persisted, "Tell me, would you rather let a race fall knowing that you could have saved them or done all you could for those in need, no matter the result?"

"This is my race, sister, and I cannot risk killing them all."

"Well, this is my race, Maladiel! What about them?"

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Jaimea sighed as she gazed up into the night sky. More time had passed then she noticed but she was glad for it. The moon was full that night and created shadows on the ground as it peeked out from behind clouds. Stars littered the sky, creating shapes and patterns that the elleth would pick out and name. The only thing that she heard was the soft trickling of the stream nearby and the chirping of the crickets.

Slowly, her mind drifted off to the fall off the cliff. The panic and terror had engulfed her senses and she had felt as if she couldn't breathe. Her long life flashed before her eyes as her death plummeted towards her.

But his words brought her back and made her feel again. Had she heard him correctly? She could feel his lips upon her own, capturing them as they poured out his fear, worry and love for her. Surely that meant that those few words were true.

"Jaimea?" Someone called, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned to face the person and smiled.

"Hello, Legolas." She said and sat forward again. She could hear him take careful steps towards her until he sat down beside her. Jaimea looked up at him with a small smile and he returned it with his own. The two sat together like this for a few moments, enjoying each others company and the peacefulness of the night.

"What are you thinking about?" The ellon asked after a while.

"Nothing." She replied, "Just things." He smiled curiously with a quirked eyebrow and she laughed.

"It must be something of importance if it makes you smile like that." Legolas said, moving closer to her, "Tell me, I will listen." The elleth smiled impishly at him before standing suddenly and hopping off the porch.

"You must catch me first!" She laughed as she disappeared into the small forest behind the house. Legolas blinked quickly before grinning mischievously and dashing after her.

The elves' laughter rang out in the silent forest, causing birds to wake from their sleep and an old owl to hoot in annoyance. The light feet made not a noise on the leaf covered earth, making it even harder to find each other. Legolas could only see brief flickers of her eyes as she disappeared behind yet another tree only to reappear behind him, running in the other direction.

"What magic are you using on me?" He called out, laughing, "Surely you must be a nymph if you are able to escape my eyes!"

When he received no response, not even a laugh, fear for her washed over him and his mind conjured up every possible thing that could have happened to her. His wide eyes pierced the darkness, searching desperately for any sign of her but found nothing. His heart rate quickened and he started to run in the direction he last saw her.

"Jaimea?" He cried, "Jaimea!" He came to a small hill and half expected to see the elleth's body pierced among sharp rocks but found only the soft, plush grass below.

Something pushed him from behind suddenly, sending him tumbling down the hill as he cried out in shock but not before grabbing the one behind him. The two crashed to the bottom and Legolas's jaw dropped when he saw Jaimea grinning down at him like an elfling. They sat like this for a moment until they both burst out in laughter, enjoying the time together that they had not shared since the group had split up.

"How did you do that?" The prince asked softly, still grinning. Jaimea shrugged.

"I don't know exactly but it looks like I have you pinned." She replied. Legolas blushed a deep crimson when he finally registered their position: he laying on his back underneath of the elleth who was straddling his waist, "Legolas?" She questioned, still grinning. He looked up at her with a smile on his face.

"Aye, it appears you do." He replied as he gazed up into her eyes. The elleth eyed him questioningly as a blush crept up her neck. The golden haired ellon reached up to touch her cheek tenderly with his knuckles as his eyes drifted from her bright eyes to her lips, then back.

Jaimea swallowed hard when she felt him place his hand over her neck and pull her closer until their faces were just inches apart. His breath on her lips made her tremble but her thoughts of his feelings for her were confirmed when he captured her mouth gently with his own, enveloping her in a soft kiss.

But her thoughts crumbled immediately when he suddenly gasped and tore himself away from her. She pulled back quickly and stared down at him, her heart pounding and mind racing. Legolas caught her eyes for a brief moment but he was not able to hold her gaze and turned away from her.

"Legolas?" The elleth asked hesitantly. The ellon clenched his eyes shut tightly and tried to catch his breath.

"Please, get up, Jaimea." He whispered and she obeyed quickly, shifting off of him so that he could sit up.

The prince rested his head in his hands as he tried to clear his muffled mind. He could sense the she-elf's questioning gaze on him and turned to her slowly.

"We must talk about this." He said and turned his body to face her while she scooting closer.

"What do you mean?" She asked, "You said-"

"I know what I said." He interrupted, "But I-"

"You didn't mean it." Jaimea finished for him though it pained her to do so. His eyes met her own and she saw the pain that flashed behind them, "You didn't mean it."

"Jaimea, I…I don't know anymore." He began quietly, "Anything between us would only prove as a distraction. Besides, we haven't known each other very long and it would be unwise to be hasty in our actions." The ellon sensed her stand and he looked up at her, seeing unshed tears glistening in her eyes. She motioned for him to stand and she obeyed only for her to take his hands in hers.

"Legolas." She breathed, "Do you love me or not?"

His heart and stomach twisted up at her words and all coherent thoughts in his mind had hid themselves from him. He gazed deep into the elleth's misty eyes as he searched for the right answer. His mind told him to just walk away from her and listen to what his brother had told him while his heart screamed at him to take her in his arms and claim her lips in his own.

Finally, he sighed and brought her knuckles to his lips.

"I do not, Jaimea, I do not love you." He answered but felt a sharp jab go through his heart.

Her heart broke and her senses went numb. After all of their times together, he never loved her as a lover would. Nothing made sense to her anymore and she wondered at her purpose of being with the company. She bit her lip to try to stop the inevitable tears but failed miserably as her shoulders racked with sobs. Legolas reached up to wipe away her tears but felt a stinging sensation across his face as he touched her. He hissed in pain as the elleth tore her hands from his and he instinctively put his hand over the red mark on his face.

"Then stop pretending that you do." She hissed and stormed past him, soon disappearing back up the hill and into the blackness of the forest.

Legolas could only stand there with his hand over his cheek, wondering at the mistake he had just made.

**XXXXXX**

**Eh, this chapter isn't very good. I hope you all liked it though. :shrugs: I'm just not feeling very motivated. School starts next week so that doesn't really help. :pouts: I don't like school. **

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Oh, it is alright. :) As long as I get reviews, I'm happy, lol. I hope you had fun! Did you now? Well, there is going to be more then that to it. Don't worry. Muahaha. Thank you for the birthday review as well. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Oh, thank goodness, you are back! Lol! You like those little moments? Aw, poor elves! What'd you think of this 'little moment' then? Muahaha. It's alright that you were gone for a while. I was just worried that I did something wrong, lol! Yea, my computer doesn't like me either. Technology is evil. I'm glad you're back! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Well…that's it. By the way, here is a picture that I drew the other day of how I imagine Jaimea to be kinda. I hope you like it. **

**http / i4. photobucket. com /albums/ y115/ Manwathiel / JaimeaDrawing .jpg**

**There you go, just take the spaces out. Now, PLEASE review!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	32. Visions Of A Life Passed

**Hello again. Still, not many responses. Where is everyone? Did I do something wrong? Well…please read the authors note at the end. Also, I am no longer writing in my notebook- it is going to come off the top of my head- so prepare for an entirely different writing style. If you have read Call of the Red Bird (and I BEG you to! It might- WILL- come in handy this chapter!), then this is going to be written like that. So, without further ado…**

_**Italics represent a dream sequence.**_

**Bold is a vision thingy.**

**XX**

Chapter 32- Visions Of A Life Passed

The croaking of the frogs filled the ellon's ears and the feel of the soft grass tickled his feet as he walked blindly in the forest. His mind was in a blank and he could not figure out he was. The moon and stars were his only light though they made no difference to him; his whole world was dark. He grunted when his foot caught on something on the ground and his fell flat on his stomach. He sighed tiredly, wondering if he should just stay there. He propped his head up in his palms and stared ahead of him though unseeing.

'Perhaps I shall wait here.' He thought in his muddled brain. He glanced around one more time then laid his head down on the grass and closed his eyes, allowing his senses to leave him- something that he would never normally do. With a small smile on his lips, Legolas faded into a deep elven slumber.

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Jaimea stormed back to the small cabin with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her steps made more noise then an elf's normally would, alerting the two ellons of her presence before she even came to the porch. She heard them call her name but she could not recognize their voices. She couldn't recognize anything.

"Jaimea, what is the matter?" Elladan asked quickly as he hurried down to the elleth, grabbing her arms gently. Elrohir quickly hopped over the railing that he was perched upon with a worried expression and strode over to them quickly. When she didn't respond, the younger ellon moved behind her and put his arm around her.

"Come, let us go inside and talk." He said gently as he tugged on her gently. Jaimea struggled to fight back her tears and nodded once before surrendering to him. The two brothers exchanged worried glances before slowly walking her back inside.

The others looked up from the business when the three elves entered and quickly rushed over to them with worried faces. Jaimea smiled weakly at them, trying to convince them that she was fine but some saw through it. Remembering what Legolas had said, Lothron quickly grabbed her elbow and pulled with a small smile.

"Come, speak with me in peace." She said and the elleth looked up at her with puffy eyes. The princess offered her yet another smile and Jaimea returned it with her own. She nodded and stepped away from the twins, giving them both a shy smile, and then followed the other elleth into another room. Slowly, the others went back to their own business though no one thought of Legolas's absence.

Lothron closed the door behind them silently, then turned around to face the other elleth who had perched herself on the spare bed. Jaimea had her eyes fixed on her hands and she shuffled her feet anxiously. The princess strode over to her quickly and sat down beside her, looking at her worriedly.

"What is the matter, Jaimea?" She asked gently with a small smile. She shook her head.

"It is nothing." She replied, "At least, not important enough so that you have to worry about it."

The princess bit her lip and sighed quietly. If she wasn't going to tell, she thought, then she was just going to have to dance around the subject. If that didn't work, well, she had other means of getting the information she wanted.

"Alright then, if you don't want to talk about it then we don't have to." Lothron said, still smiling. Jaimea gave her an appreciative smile and nodded, "So, what were you doing out there?"

"I was in the forest." She replied weakly.

"I see." The other elleth replied, already getting frustrated with her short answers, "What drove you to go in there?" Jaimea shrugged.

"I wanted to run."

"Alone?"

"No, Legolas was with me." She said, pain creeping into her voice. The princess smiled slightly, pleased that the conversation was getting somewhere. But the hurt that echoed in the elleth's words put a small frown on her lips.

"Where is he? Did something happen to him?" Lothron asked, finally realizing her brother's absence.

"He is still in the forest, I think, and no, nothing happened to him." Jaimea replied, struggling to keep her emotions in check. A sigh escaped the mahogany haired elleth and she shook her head.

"What happened though that puts you in such a sorrowful mood?" She asked quietly, "Did he say something to you?"

"It is more like what he didn't say to me." Jaimea replied without thinking but a blush immediately made its way onto her pale cheeks, accenting the pink tinge even more. Lothron quirked her brow at her behavior.

"Jaimea, what happened?" She questioned a bit more sternly. The other elleth kept her gaze averted but said nothing. Lothron sighed again, "If it is about what I think it is, then I must show you something."

Without even asking for consent, the princess put her fingertips gently on the she-elf's forehead and closed her eyes with a thoughtful expression on her face. Slowly, Jaimea saw images form in front of her eyes, canceling out anything she saw before her. First it was blurry but then the pictures she saw became as clear as the waking eye. The sound was sharp enough that she could even hear the crickets that were chirping at that moment.

She saw Lothron and Legolas sitting out on the porch, conversing quietly but she could hear them perfectly.

"**I cannot keep her off of my mind." **

Jaimea's eyes widened as her heart beat faster in shock. A blush rose up on Legolas's cheeks as he spoke with his sister. Was he talking about her?

"**She haunts my thoughts and dreams everyday and night." **

The elleth even felt a blush form upon her own cheeks as she listened and watched intently to his confessions. She did not understand why he said these things to his sister yet completely told her the opposite. Confusion radiated off of her small form.

"**Norui has said that I should leave her alone."**

Rage boiled within the young elleth, shocked that the Crown Prince she respected so much had tried to keep her and Legolas apart. What cause was there for that! As far as she was concerned, Jaimea thought, it would prove well for the both of them. There was a call from somebody else in the vision and both elves stood up without another word and disappeared from the elleth's sight.

With a sigh, Lothron took her fingers from the other elleth's forehead and looked down to her lap, not speaking a word. Jaimea shook her head in disbelief, wondering why he had told her these things. She stole a quick glance to Lothron and swallowed hard.

"Where did you learn to do that?" She asked breathily. The princess shrugged with a small grin.

"I am one of the head healers back at the palace. Being a healer has more benefits then you might imagine." She said with a wink. Jaimea chuckled softly and nodded.

"He told you those things then?" She asked hesitantly, looking back down in her lap. Lothron sighed and nodded once, "He told me the exact opposite though."

"He does not know what he wants, Jaimea." The princess began, "He looks up to his brother- more then you know- and strives to follow in his footsteps. I do not doubt that he was influenced by Norui to say those things to you."

A bright smile lit up on the young elleth's face and she felt like jumping in excitement. He did love her! He felt the same way she did every time the kissed and laid together.

Wait, the same way? How did she know that she loved him? He had just rejected her without so much as a grimace. The happiness within the elleth was quickly drenched and the fire that grew in her heart was extinguished. After what had happened, how could she know that she was correct and he really did love her?

Sensing her inner turmoil, Lothron placed a hand on Jaimea's shoulder with a small smile. The other elleth looked to her sadly.

"Give him time." The princess said softly, "He will come around."

"I thought that you didn't approve." Jaimea retorted weakly. Another smile appeared on the mahogany haired elleth and she shook her head.

"The whole world could be against it but that does not mean that it is not possible. Your love would not be quenched." She replied, "If you believe that you can make something out of it then I give you my blessing."

Yet another grin formed upon Jaimea's face and she had to bite her lips from bursting out in happiness. Lothron laughed cheerfully at her reaction and patted her on the back.

"I thank you so much, my lady!" She laughed, nearly bouncing on the bed.

"Well, it is about time someone breaks through the barriers in my brother's stubborn heart." The princess added cheekily.

The two elleths sat in the room for countless minutes, enjoying each other's company. For the first time in the whole mission, they were able to finally get to know each other; see each other's likes and dislikes and interests. Once the barrier was taken down, Jaimea realized, Lothron was very much like her younger brother. She enjoyed making jokes and laughing; doing anything that might provoke a laugh. Finally, the two stood and left the room to check on the others.

They found them all in a state of panic and they furrowed their brows. The twins, Iaurtondariel and Estel were dashing around the house and the others they could hear outside.

"What is wrong?" Lothron called as the elleth passed her by. She did a double take and quickly came to a halt.

"We cannot find Legolas!" She exclaimed, "He never came back in the house."

"He is in the forest still." Jaimea said quietly and the young elf glanced at her with wide eyes.

"The forest?" She gasped, "That place is riddled with foul creatures! What drove him to venture in there?" Without another word, she dashed out of the house, grabbing a small sword propped against the wall on her way out. Lothron and Jaimea exchanged worried glances before hurrying after her.

The shouting and cries of the company broke the peaceful silence of the night as they plunged into the forest, forgetting the dangers that lurked in its depths. The trees creaked as the wind blew their leaves and the darkness concealed the group as they dashed deeper and deeper into the wood, all fearing the worst.

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_His body wafted up into a seemingly endless tunnel of white. There was no smell, sight or sound, even to his acute senses. He looked up and saw a bright light glowing down upon him and below was just an empty void that went on forever. _

_When the white finally disappeared, Legolas found himself face down in a field of plush, green grass. The scent was strong with lavender and roses, lifting his lips into a small smile. He was content with just laying in the soft field but considered otherwise when he heard a soft singing in the distance. He lifted his head slowly, gazing around for the source of the sound. _

_Sitting by the banks of a gurgling creek sat a golden haired woman, clad in a sparkling white gown. Half of her long hair was pulled back into a small braid that trailed elegantly down her back. She sat cross-legged on the ground, delicately tracing the petals of a white flower with her long finger. _

_Legolas stood up carefully, not wanting to alert the woman of his presence just yet. He took hesitant steps towards her until he was but a few feet from her. He looked at her reflection the stream cast and stumbled back in shock, eyes wide. The woman's bright, cerulean eyes stared back at him through the water and a small smile was upon her pink lips. She slowly stood up and turned around to face him, still smiling. The ellon continued to gape._

"_N-Naneth?" He gasped, taking a few steps back. The woman's smile only grew._

"_I was beginning to wonder why you didn't recognize me." She said softly. Her voice was gentle and sweet like the soft cooing of doves. A lone tear streamed down Legolas's face as he beheld the one he thought he had lost so many years ago. _

"_How is this possible?" The young prince breathed, "I thought you had been killed by that-"_

"_Yes, Legolas, you are correct." The Queen said sadly, "As for how you are here, it is because you have already begun to fade from the world." _

_Shock spread across the ellon's face and he shook his head in disbelief. Why would he fade? There were still many things that he looked forward to in life and things that he wished to fulfill. _

"_I have no desire to fade, Naneth. Why would I?" _

"_Do you not know, ion-nín?" She questioned and he shook his head, "It is because you rejected the love that both you and Jaimea felt for each other." A frown appeared upon his face and he turned away from the elleth, crossing his arms over his chest._

"_I did what was right." He said tensely. He did not even hear his mother take graceful steps towards him and place a delicate hand upon his shoulder._

"_You did what your brother told you to do." She replied, "And that may not have been the right course." _

"_I do not understand. How could Norui have been wrong? It has never happened before." _

"_That is a lie." She said quickly, moving around to face him and she took his hands in her own, "Listen to me, my Greenleaf. You must do what your heart tells you, no matter the cost."_

_He only glanced into her eyes skeptically then quickly averted them to the ground. He could feel the anxiousness emanating off of her lithe body as she lifted his chin gently._

"_If you do not follow your heart, then you and her both will succumb to grief. You will fade into the nothingness that is death and never again see each other. Your brothers and sisters will follow you to Mandos, as will Thranduil. But you will be with me for all of eternity and we will live in peace as a family again._

"_But if you listen to what your mind and heart feels for the elleth, then you will live in happiness that you would never again feel. Yes, you might both die on this quest but at least you would have spent the last days of your life with the one you love." _

_A tear trickled down the elleth's alabaster cheek as she gazed lovingly up into the eyes of her youngest son. A sad smile was upon her lips as she traced her fingers down his cheek and jaw. Legolas's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he took in what would be his fate. A soft chuckle escaped from her lips._

"_You are so handsome, my little Greenleaf. It is amazing to so how much you have grown." _

"_It has not been an incredibly long time, Naneth, though a painful one." _

"_Nay, it has not but it has tolled on you as well as the others." She replied, "I am sorry that you had to go through that." Legolas shook his head quickly, wrapping his arms around her form and burying his face in her golden locks._

"_Do not speak like that, Naneth. You did not choose to leave us." He retorted gently. _

_The two stayed in each other's arms for the longest time, relishing in the idea that they were back together again. But, after a moment, the Queen pulled back with a small smile on her lips._

"_It is time for you to go, Legolas." She said and put her hand up when he made to argue, "You cannot stay here; it is not your time to leave Middle-Earth." She grinned mischievously, "But there is something that you must see before you depart." With that, she bounded away from him, her long gown billowing in the wind. Legolas watched her go for a few moments before following her swiftly, making not a noise in the tall grass. _

_After a few moments of running, they came to a large weeping willow, its thin branches waving in the breeze like the waves of the great sea. Concealed behind the vines lay a lithe male, leaning against the tree's trunk. His silvery hair was wafted around his slender face, blocking the two elves from seeing his true face. His legs were crossed over as was his arms and he breathed deeply, eyes closed in sleep. _

_The Queen smiled laughingly and made her way towards the man, Legolas following behind her with curious eyes. The elleth knelt down beside him and shook his shoulder gently. The male groaned softly before stretching, his eyes fluttering open. The prince gasped as the other man's navy blue eyes met his, instantly recognizing him._

"_Daeron?" He questioned, taking a hesitant step forward. The one on the ground stood up quickly with wide eyes._

"_Legolas!" He cried, "What the blazes are you doing here?" The prince did not answer but stood dumbfounded at the one before him._

_Long before the Queen has perished, a lord dwelt in a hidden chamber in the palace of Mirkwood. No one knew of him- except the Queen- and was only discovered when a dark terror had been unleashed in the palace. One morning when his lady woke from slumber, she found him dead. The elves were never able to uncover how exactly he had died. He was the one who originally owned Espenshade but the falcon had claimed the prince as her new master once Daeron has perished. _

"_I see you remember him." The Queen giggled, watching the two males cheerfully. Finally, Legolas cried out in laughter and grabbed the lord in an embrace, earning him a couple of laughs. _

"_Put me down, Legolas!" Daeron exclaimed, "You are much bigger then I remember!" The ellon laughed and did as he asked, wiping a tear of mirth out of his eye._

"_I never thought I'd see you again." Legolas said, "And what are you doing here?"_

"_I died, remember?" The lord asked with a quirked eyebrow. The prince shook his head._

"_What I mean is why are you in Mandos, if that is where we are?" A grin formed upon Daeron's lips as he looked to the Queen._

"_Your beautiful mother here gained me entry. Plus, it was said that I died performing a great deed for the elves so they let me reside here." He explained with a shrug. Legolas opened his mouth to continue speaking but the elleth stopped him._

"_I am sorry, ion-nín, but now you must leave us. I am sorry that our time has been short but you must go back to the living." She said softly, striding over to the males. A frown formed upon both of their lips and she chuckled, "Remember what I told you, Legolas. Make the right choice." _

_The prince smiled despite himself and nodded, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and then turned to Daeron. The silver haired elf smiled and clapped his shoulder._

"_Be careful, my friend, and take care of my Espenshade." He said. Legolas grinned and nodded._

_The Queen motioned for him to come to her and he did so eagerly. With a sorrowful smile, she placed her fingertips on his temple, whispering words so soft that even the archer could not hear them and before he knew it, the ground was swept out from his feet and he entered the white nothingness once more._

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Maladiel slid down the steep embankment, cursing when her knee caught the edge of a sharp rock. Grimacing slightly, she stood up and squinted into the darkness. Far away, she could see a pale light on the ground and she instantly knew what it was. She growled.

For a fleeting moment, she thought to leave the foolish ellon behind. It would prevent the others from trying to destroy the Muru and then she would not have to worry about it. A grin formed upon her lips as she turned to leave, accepting this as her decision, but then quickly stopped.

What was she doing! Legolas would never do something like that to her or anyone. He did nothing to provoke her anger. It would be foolish to leave him in the woods. With that in mind, she called out as loud as she could.

"Mithrandir! I have found him!" Within moments, the whole group came dashing up to her and gazed out with hopeful eyes. Sure enough, his faint elven glow shone out like a beacon.

No words were said as the young prince was hoisted up and carried back to the house. He was laid on the couch and covered in a warm blanket, his eyes closed the entire time. Melyanna sat on side of him, stroking his golden mane softly.

They had all gathered back into their spots but none were in the mood to talk any longer. Tired sighs escaped from their mouths and they all wished to go to bed but they knew there were still things to be discussed. Not wanting to prolong it anymore, Norui cleared his throat.

"As we were saying," He began, "How would we go about destroying this creature?"

"You will not destroy this _creature_." Maladiel growled bitterly, earning her a few shocked glances, "Because I will not tell you how."

"What do you mean?" Elladan questioned suspiciously.

"I will not risk my people for the sake of a single elf realm. It is not worth it."

Every elf in the room leapt up angrily, yelling at the Muru. She leapt up as well, holding her own against the group. Mithrandir remained in his seat, rubbing his eyes in his palms. The outraged screams filled the entire house and echoed out into the night. Both sides had no intent on loosing.

"I will not let a single maiden decide the fate of my country!" Norui growled, "Especially one like you!"

"Your words mean nothing, prince!" She retorted, "Nothing you say can change my mind!"

"You_ will_ tell us what to do right now!"

"Never!"

Minutes slipped away as they continued their arguing, showing no signs of relenting. Finally, Mithrandir leapt up from his seat and slammed his staff upon the ground. The room darkened eerily and they all stopped their bickering, cowering in front of the powerful Istar.

"I have had about enough of this!" He boomed, "No more will be said tonight!" With that, the darkness lifted and he stormed off down the hallway. They all watched the doorway with wide eyes as if expecting the wizard to appear again and cast a dark spell on them but he did not.

Not wanting to anger the wizard anymore, they all filed out, leaving only Legolas, Maladiel and Norui in the room. The Crown Prince and Muru stared each other down, neither wavering.

"Why do you do this?" The ellon hissed between his teeth.

"Because I will not sacrifice my own race." She replied just as tensely.

"So you instead sacrifice my race, your sister's race and your mother's race!"

"Mirkwood is only one kingdom." Maladiel growled, "There are others and elves would come back to live there over time. But there is only one realm where the Muruién reside. Even if it weren't so, this spell could kill us all if it was not done correctly."

"Then do not doubt us. We are determined to save our people but we would not willingly put your own at risk."

"By doing this, you willingly put my people at risk. It would kill us! Are you willing to take that risk?"

"It is obvious you are willing to kill us."

Maladiel's mouth opened and closed, searching for the right words but found none. When the Crown Prince's eyes continued to gaze expectantly into hers, she growled in exasperation and stormed away.

Norui sighed and slumped over slightly. He looked to his unconscious brother sadly and sat down at the foot of the couch. He pulled the blanket over the younger prince's bare feet and put his head in his hands.

"What do I do, Legolas?"

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Norui awoke with a jolt as his shoulder was shaken vigorously. He groaned softly but a hand was clamped over his mouth. His eyes sprang open and he looked up to see Elrohir standing over him. He furrowed his brow.

"What is wrong?" He asked and the Noldo elf shook his head.

"Just come quickly. All will be explained later." He replied, already heading out of the room. The ellon quickly leapt from bed and threw his tunic over his head, then slipped his boots on. He grabbed his bow from a corner along with his quiver and short blade, then hurried after the younger twin.

He found the entire group waiting anxiously in the living quarters. He hurried over to them with questioning eyes but they said nothing. He then noticed Iaurtondariel in the middle of the group, whispering to Mithrandir. The Crown Prince strained his ears to hear but found he could not. He sighed tiredly and looked around, surprised to see Legolas standing.

The golden haired prince felt his brother's gaze on him but he did not turn to look at him. His dream of his mother and his friend haunted his mind and he could not forgive Norui for keeping him from Jaimea. The Queen had said that he was not always right and Legolas believed that, right then, he was wrong.

"Alright." Iaurtondariel spoke in a whisper and everyone turned to her, "We must make haste lest she wakes."

"What are we doing exactly?" Norui questioned just as quietly and the young elleth smiled at him.

"I am taking you to Edhellond, land of the Muruién."

**XXXXX**

**Well, there you have it. I hoped you liked the length of this one but I'm not particularly happy with it. :shrugs: Oh well. I'll try to make the next one better. Remember, read Call of the Red Bird! I am sure those of you who haven't are now lost on the whole Daeron thing. Now, author's IMPORTANT note…**

**PLEASE READ**

**I have decided that I will not post unless I get at least five reviews for this chapter. And no, Sabre, that does not mean you can have your poor brothers review. ;) I am sorry, guys, but I feel like I'm just not motivated enough anymore. **

**Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Hello there, my friend. Well, did Maladiel come to her senses? Hehe. I hope you liked the chapter. Thank you so much for reviewing and yes, Legolas is a jerk. :whacks Legolas: BAD elf! Once again, thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**Swasti- Hehe, indeed he does. Maybe he learned some sense in this chapter but who knows. Men/Ellons can be stupid sometimes, it seems. Hehe, that part was specifically for you. I had a feeling you would like it. :) I hope you liked this picture and this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**I have another picture for you! This one is of Norui when he was really young. As in, probably a pre-teen in human years. Make sure you take out the spaces.**

**http / i 4 . photobucket . com/ albums /y 1 1 5 / Manwathiel /LIMM Norui. jpg**

**Well, that's it. **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	33. Farewell to the Sun

**Alright, five reviews. Thank you all. Same thing goes for this chapter also. Five reviews for the next chapter. Also, because of the new policy about reviews, I will not be replying to you all anymore. If you give me your email though, I will get back to you. This is the last chapter that I will respond. With that said, on with the show!**

**XXXXX**

Chapter 33- Farewell to the Sun

The sky was painted with pinks, oranges and yellows as the sun peeked above the snowcapped peaks of the White Mountains. A crisp breeze whipped around the grassy land and birds chirped from their nests. Deer came from their hiding places and took long, refreshing drinks from the cool waters that run down from the hills. The land just at the foot of the Mountains was entirely peaceful, life just beginning stir from their slumber.

Estel yawned and rubbed his eyes as he hurried along with his companions. He looked up to the Peregrine Falcon flying above, blinking the sleep out of his eyes, and snorted. The falcon, having heard him, screeched and veered down towards him like a lightning bolt. The human gasped and ran ahead before the bird could impale herself upon him. He heard her cackle a few moments later and he growled inwardly, resuming his natural pace.

"Did the bird frighten you, Estel?" Elladan called with a grin. Estel growled again but did not answer, his back rigid. A few moments later, he spun around when he heard the same ellon scream in rage and the falcon screeching. The human bit his lips to keep back his laughter when he saw Espenshade tangled in the Noldo elf's dark hair. He noticed Legolas not far behind with a wide grin on his face.

The miles flew by without the travelers even noticing it. Iaurtondariel took them all at an easy pace but quick enough to cover much ground. Her laughter and constant chatter lifted their hearts and put smiles upon their faces. But there was one who lagged behind with a heavy frown.

Jaimea dragged her feet behind herself as she walked. Her face was pale and her eyes were dark. She sighed and looked up wearily at the ones in front of her. They seemed to not even notice she was no longer with them. She blinked quickly when the sun shined into her eyes and she cast her head down again. Once the light had disappeared behind the clouds, she looked up once more and found the back of a golden haired ellon. Her frown deepened, if it were possible.

Legolas had said not a word to her once he had come around earlier in the morning. The moment his eyes had opened, she leapt up to see him but he had ignored her, letting his eyes rest on his oldest sister instead. The elleth could understand this but when the others had come and gone, he fell back to sleep without a glance at her and her heart fell.

Perhaps he really didn't love her as he had said. Maybe Lothron was wrong in what she said or it was not her that Legolas spoke of in the vision. Whatever it was, the prince seemed to have had a great weight lifted off of his shoulders as he laughed with Arwen. A bright pink came upon Undomiel's cheeks as the ellon wrapped an arm around her and her shoulders shook with chuckles.

Jaimea averted her eyes from the pair and looked back in the direction they came. The cabin they had rested out was now a small speck in the distance even to her elven eyes. She briefly wondered if she could just return and go unnoticed but she quickly shook it off.

The land began to incline, tiring their legs quickly. Jagged rocks jetted up, making passage even more difficult, and the occasional grunt of annoyance would escape from one of the traveler's lips. Arwen had come to walk with Jaimea who still lagged behind but proved unsuccessful in starting a conversation.

"Beautiful scenery, is it not?" Arwen asked with a smile. The other elleth nodded but said nothing. The dark haired elleth sighed and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her pointed ear, "What is bothering you, my lady?"

"Nothing." Jaimea replied, keeping her eyes on the ground.

"Are you sure? You seem uneasy."

"I am fine." Arwen gave her a skeptical look but said nothing more.

Noon approached them quickly and they rested on a flat area of the mountain side. From their packs, they took out the few things that they brought and made a meager meal. The twins groaned when they saw Espenshade come swooping in with a small rabbit in her talons and Legolas quirked his brow at them when the falcon landed upon his outstretched arm.

"I thought you did not eat meat." He questioned, taking the animal from the bird.

"We do not." Elrohir replied.

"But it makes us jealous watching her eat while we only get bread." The other twin finished, waving his lembas in the air, "And since when do you eat meat, prince?"

"It is not for me or her." Legolas replied, grinning slightly, "But for Estel and Mithrandir. I'm sure they can use it some how." The falcon cackled as she leapt into the air once more and the golden haired ellon watched her go with a small smile on his lips.

Iaurtondariel perched herself on a rock and gazed down upon the others with bright eyes. Estel and Arwen were sitting together with their hands clasped, talking quietly with each other. Lothron and Melyanna were with their younger brother, Legolas, and the twins were speaking quickly with Mithrandir, grinning widely. The old wizard sighed in annoyance before stalking away and Iaurtondariel chuckled. Her eyes glanced over to Jaimea who was sitting a distance away from the group and the elleth furrowed her brow. She made to get up to speak with her but a hand caught her shoulder. She snapped her head around quickly and her heart constricted when she saw the Crown Prince smiling at her.

"How are you, my lady?" He asked, scooting back to give her some space. Iaurtondariel smiled shyly at him and bowed her head.

"I am good, my lord, the crisp mountain air soothes me." She replied.

"Indeed, it is quite peaceful up here." Norui said, still smiling, "But I must thank you for doing this."

"Doing what?" The elleth questioned, furrowing her brow.

"For leading us to this Muruien land." He replied, "I thought all hope was lost when your sister refused to tell us what she knew." A faint blush rose up on the elleth's cheeks.

"Of course, my lord. I cannot let my kin fall when I could aid them." She said. The Crown Prince nodded and sat beside her.

"What do you know of these people? How are we to defeat this evil?" She smiled weakly at him, looking down at her hands in her lap.

"As you know, the Muruien have their own powers. But only one controls the power to end all powers and that is the King. Tall and proud, he sits upon his throne and all bow before him. He is strict and harsh to those that oppose him but he has a kind heart and a cheerful smile, saved for his subjects and his three children. He can rid every Muru of his power with a simple spell.

"But there is one downfall to this. If the sun rises twice before he restores the power, the Muruien will perish." Iaurtondariel looked up quickly to see the Crown Prince watching her intently and she swallowed, "This also means the one who has your realm under his spell will loose his power but he will not be withdrawn from their minds. He will be vulnerable to your attacks on him and he could fall."

"Would the King allow this to happen if he knew the consequences?" Norui asked and the elleth shrugged.

"It has happened before and they almost had to start over; start the race again. But that person returned in time and they were spared." She replied, "I think he would do it again if he knew one of his people was causing trouble in a distant land." At this Norui nodded with a smile.

"I must thank you, my lady, for my hope has been restored. I cannot thank you enough for doing what you did." Iaurtondariel smiled once more and he returned it with his own.

"May I ask you a question now, my lord?" She asked.

"Anything."

"You said that your people had been put under the spell for a month now. How did you get here so quickly?"

Norui frowned and looked away, anger welling up in his heart. His thoughts raced back to Turwaithiel's betrayal and he scowled. The elleth looked upon him with concern and gently touched his shoulder and he flinched slightly. Biting her lip, she put her hands back in her lap.

"My lord?"

"Not twenty miles from Rivendell, we ran into a woman with dark hair and bright eyes. She carried a staff with feathers at the tip. With her went a horse that she seemed to talk to frequently. She had told us that she would help us get to the Muruien and we all agreed- except for Legolas and Estel, I think it was. But we did not listen. We accepted her help and she led us across the land.

"Only recently, not long before you came along, did she betray us. She hit me upon the head with her staff, knocking me unconscious and then we found you." He finished.

"Turwaithiel." Iaurtondariel growled under her breath. Norui inhaled sharply.

"You know of her?" He questioned, shocked. She nodded once.

"Yes, she and her life mate, Uhako, are both Muruien. They are slaves to an outcast of the Muruien people; a wicked man named Eruko. He was captured and twisted by orcs when he was still young- much like elves are- but they were unsuccessful in their goal of turning him into one of them. Instead, his heart blackened and he no longer cared for the things he once loved. He took to destroying and killing for no reason. One day, he went too far.

"He killed the Queen while she slept one night. Her screams filled the silence, awakening the whole palace. The King fought against him but was unable to restrain him. The three princes and princess ran to help but the eldest son was killed in the process. Many were killed that night but Eruko was finally restrained. A curse was set upon him, turning him into a horrible creature, imaginable only in one's dreams. He was banished and was never seen again by any eyes- whether it be elf, human or Muru."

Norui stared at her with wide eyes, entranced by the tale. In his heart and mind, he knew this was the one who held his father, his people and his lover under its spell. His fists clenched and unclenched in anger and he grinded his teeth. He opened his mouth to speak but Iaurtondariel stood up quickly.

"It is time we leave." She called and everyone stood up once more. The Crown Prince looked up at her with kind eyes and then followed everyone's example. He hurried down to his pack, slung it upon his shoulders, and waited to begin the walk once more.

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The air grew short and the wind bitter. The trees grew black and without leaves. The grass was frosted over and the faces of the travelers had been stung red. An occasional squirrel would bound from tree to tree, chattering quickly as it went. A rabbit was sent hopping out of its hiding place when a rock was kicked past. It darted over a grassy patch but was quickly snatched up in a creature's talons, screeching frantically. The falcon landed obediently on the arm of her master and released her prey, then hopped onto the person's shoulder as he shoved the body into his pack with a grateful smile.

A dark passage opened up ahead of the companions and they all silently prayed that they would not enter. Unfortunately, their guide did not hesitate as she plunged into the darkness. They stood outside the entrance until they heard her calling.

"Come!" She called, "We cannot waste much time! I do not know how or why but it gets lighter as we go." Reluctantly, they all followed her inside, the falcon swooping in first.

A dread fell over the elves' hearts as darkness consumed them. They were drowning in the nothingness before them, the stale air gripping at their throats. Instinctively, they all huddled together for company and safety in the shadows. Estel snickered into his hands.

Sure enough, the cavern did seem to lighten. The farther they went, the lights grew until they could see one another once more. The elves quelled their uneasiness but it was not gone completely. A screech suddenly came from far down the tunnel and everyone instantly froze. Hands flew to the hilts and bows of the companions and they held their breath as the awaited for something to come down the tunnel.

They all sighed in annoyance when they saw Espenshade swooping back to them silently with a dead mouse in her beak. Everyone shot Legolas an aggravated look and he cowered slightly under their gaze. They released the tension in their arms and continued on.

A wider room opened up and Iaurtondariel called them all to a halt. She looked back to them and nodded.

"We will rest here for a while until I know what we are to do." She said and they quickly dropped their packs on the ground. Mithrandir hurried over to the elleth and they sat together, quietly discussing the course they would take.

Jaimea traced patterns in the gray dirt with her slender finger. She sighed anxiously, looking around at her surroundings, and then scratched out the designs. A shiver went down her spine and she drew her cloak around her shoulders though she knew it would do no good.

'I hate this place.' She thought to herself, 'I should never have come on this journey. I should have left it to the ones who knew what they were getting themselves into.'

Estel briskly walked past her. He looked down at her with a quick smile, then continued over to his beloved who had taken a seat on a rock slab. The elleth sighed.

'I wish I never met any of these people and that I could go back to a normal life. And,' She swallowed hard, 'And I wish I never met Legolas.'

A tear escaped her eyes and she quickly hid her face in her hands. She struggled to fight back the quaking of her shoulders lest she catch anyone's attention. She wondered why she had become like she had. Small things never used to upset her but now they did. Why did she care so much about what he thought of her? Before she knew him, she despised him entirely!

She felt a hand stroke her shoulder and she jumped, staring up at the person with wide eyes. She was met with the grey eyes of Elladan and he smiled softly, sitting down beside her. The elleth returned his smile weakly and rubbed her eyes in her hands.

"What ails you, my lady?" He asked quietly, "Surely the darkness could not provoke you to cry as you do." She shook her head.

"No, I am fine. I'm just thinking, is all." Jaimea replied.

"Would you care to tell me?"

"I just miss my home and my friends." She answered, looking down at the floor, "I can't wait for this to be over so that I may return to Mirkwood." The Noldo elf nodded once and slowly took her hands in his.

"You are not the only one who wishes to end this journey. The road is beginning to way heavily on all our shoulders- whether the others show it or not- and we wish for nothing more then to sleep in our own warm beds and hear the familiar callings of the birds of our homes." He said slowly, "You are not alone in your sorrow."

"Thank you, my lord." She said and he smiled, then leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Neither were aware of a pair of bright cerulean eyes watching them carefully and intently.

Legolas sighed as he stared out into the dark nothingness. The darkness ate away at his nerves and he found himself fidgeting. He was used to the caverns of his underground home but this was different. The rocks were jagged and menacing. Everywhere he looked, he saw a pit that fell down to no where. He fancied telling himself that it led to the center of the world but he quickly dismissed those thoughts when he nearly fell into one himself.

He tensed when he heard someone approaching behind him and he instantly recognized his presence. He growled, narrowing his eyes. The hair on the back of his neck stood up when he saw Norui come to stand by him out of the corner of his eye.

The two brothers stood in uneasy silence, neither daring to say a word- whether it was the mounting tension between them or they feared to break the deadly silence lest they wake some horrible creature lurking in the shadows. The Crown Prince cleared his throat but Legolas did not respond.

"Gwador?" Norui said quietly. The golden haired prince glared. (Brother)

"What?" He hissed.

"I know you are angry at me for what I said." He began, "But you must understand that it is for your own good. I do not have anything against you or her but anything that happens between you will cause our end. We are so close now and I do not want to mess up." When Legolas did not say anything else, he turned to look at him, "You know that I am right."

"No, you are not." He spat, snapping his head in his brother's direction, "Naneth told me that you were wrong." Norui felt his stomach lurch and he swallowed hard.

"What do you mean? Naneth is dead." He retorted slowly.

"She came to me after I denied my love for Jaimea." He replied, clenching his fists, "And I almost passed to the Halls of Mandos because of it." The Crown Prince's eyes widened.

"What? Why?" He breathed.

"Why do you think, Norui! You forced me to deny what I felt and now it is too late to take it back!"

"I did what I knew was right, Legolas, and you will need to understand that. If I had have stood idly while you were with her, we would all have been killed before this was over!"

"You know nothing of what is good for me or her!" Legolas hissed, "It matters not now though for you have ruined what both you and Ada have pressured me to find and that is love!"

Before the Crown Prince could say anything else, Legolas spun on his heel and stormed away from the ellon. Norui gritted his teeth together and made to follow but he held himself back. With a growl, he ran his fingers through his mahogany hair and plopped down on the ground right where he was, seething silently.

A few moments later, Iaurtondariel bounded up and called to the others.

"Time to continue!" She exclaimed, leaping down from the rock, Mithrandir taking a bit more time. All of the elves in the company wondered how she could stay so free of heart in such an ominous place. Quickly, they all gathered their belongings and followed her into a downward sloping path.

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For the rest of the day, they traveled in the dark. The never stopped the rest of the time until it was announced that they would rest where they were. Though no one seemed to like the area, they all agreed and rolled out their sleeping mats. They did build a fire in fear of attracting any unwanted visitors. Iaurtondariel sat upon a rock above them all, watching the path ways silently.

Not a few hours later, they were all roused again and lembas was passed around. The sat in a ring, munching on their breakfast quietly until Iaurtondariel sighed.

"We have come to the center of the mountains." She began, "Unfortunately, this is the territory of a horde of goblins. Their king is well known amongst all people in this region and he is feared. Ill-fated is the one who crosses swords with him."

"A bunch of mindless goblins will not prove very difficult." Elrohir spoke up, waving his sword in the air threateningly, "I would cleave the King's head sooner then he could even draw his rusty piece of scrap metal." Iaurtondariel smiled in amusement.

"You underestimate him, my lord, for he and his group of goblins have caused more trouble in these regions far more then you know. But I should hope you are able to cleave his head without even a scratch."

Once the conversation had ended, they gathered their things once more and continued down the same path, Iaurtondariel in front. Noises seemed to echo in the caverns more then was comfortable and they often found themselves flinching when a rock would slide or a sword would clatter against the rock wall.

A few hours later, the passage began to widen and they could hear a faint chattering of voices far ahead. Their breath caught in their throats and they instinctively put their hands on the hilt of their swords. They watched where they put their feet and their tension rose when they saw a dim light from the end of the tunnel. When the tunnel came to an end, Iaurtondariel held up her hand and they all halted. She drew a curved blade from its sheath by her hip and crept forward silently with wide eyes. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest and blood pulsated in her eyes. She swallowed hard as she bent to the ground and crawled out of the tunnel. An edge appeared in front of her and she continued until her eyes peeked over the side. Her heart clenched in her chest.

At least two hundred goblins were gathered in a grand hall, screeching and calling in their horrible voices. Bows made out of animal bones were slung on their backs and jagged swords were at their waists. The black armor was lined with metal and bone spikes. Some wore helmets shaped in the heads of dragons and other terrible creatures. One particularly large goblin sat upon a rock throne, chewing on something that the elleth dared not figure out. It cast the bone aside and called in its terrible voice to the others. Iaurtondariel trembled and backed away.

She was soon bombarded with questions but she answered none, only motioning for them to follow. She dropped to her stomach once again and crawled to the edge, the others following. Despair settled in their hearts when they saw the enemy before them. Elrohir began to wonder if he would be able to prove his words true.

"What are we to do?" Estel questioned quietly, "Can we not just go around?"

"There only one way out, my lord." Iaurtondariel replied with a frown, "And that is through this mess." She pointed out to a small opening on the opposite side of the goblins. Already, the hands of the natural warriors fingered their swords anxiously with wide eyes.

"Are we to fight through this?" Norui asked.

"Indeed."

"Then let us begin." The Crown Prince crouched, drawing his blade, and the others followed suit. As stealthy and silently as shadows, the company crept forward in the darkness.

They came to a final platform that stood about ten feet from the ground. Here, they waited until the right moment. But Jaimea crept far away from them, crouching in a corner, but this did not go unnoticed by the golden haired prince.

Biting his lip, Legolas looked from the elleth to his brother. Norui was gripping tightly onto his elvish blade and watching the creatures with wide, anxious eyes. Seeing this as his time, the young prince slid from the others and made his way over to Jaimea.

The elleth's eyes widened when she saw him approaching and she wished that she could just disappear. She closed her eyes tight and looked away as he neared. A hand gently clasped her shoulder and she cowered away.

"Jaimea?" Legolas called softly, scooting closer to her, "Please, look at me and listen." A small came across his lips when she obeyed and looked into his for the first time in days, "I wish for you to fight with us."

"But you said that I was not to fight, remember?" She retorted quietly. He frowned.

"Yes, I do but we need you this time. The goblins outnumber us twenty to one." He drew his white knives from their sheathes and handed them to her, "These will serve you well. They have saved my life many times."

"But I cannot fight against them, Legolas. I would fall before the battle even started." The prince shook his head quickly and cupped her cheeks in his hands.

"Have hope and you will not fail." Someone hissed his name but he ignored it, "Come and let us fight." The elleth looked upon him with doubtful eyes but found herself nodding. Legolas smiled and crawled back to the others.

Jaimea looked upon the knives in her lap, biting her lips. She carefully picked one up and gazed at its engravings. Such a beautiful and intricate piece of work, they were, but used for the most evilest of things- ending lives. She ran her fingers down the weaving markings and smiled. Some of the ivory- or what ever the material was, she did not know- had begun to fade from continuous use and she gripped this part in her hands. She looked over to the others to find Legolas watching her intently. She nodded at him and he smiled, then looked out at the goblins once more. With a heavy sigh, Jaimea crept quietly over to the company.

"On the count of three, we jump." Norui instructed, "One…"

Legolas noticed Jaimea shaking with fear and he moved closer to her.

"Two…"

Without her even noticing, the prince reached down and clasped her hand in his. Jaimea looked up at him and he smiled. She returned it with her own.

"Three!"

With a cry, the warrior side of the company sprang into action and they leapt off the ten foot wall. The goblins screeched in surprise, backing up quickly from the charging companions. Five goblins fell with arrows in their chests before they could take charge but the King quickly snapped them into action. Within moments, the group had been separated and were fighting fiercely as they tried to make their way to the opposite side of the room.

Estel and Arwen fought back to back, refusing to be lost in the horde of orcs. The creatures leapt upon Arwen but the human always halted them with a stab through the heart. One came up behind him and made to cleave off his head but the elleth slit its throat before it had the chance. Estel shot her a grateful glance and she grinned but they quickly indulged themselves in the fight once more.

Unable to stay together, the twins had difficulty with their defense. When fighting together, they would always prove as each other's defense but now their backs were always open. Soon ,the goblins realized this weakness and made for them quickly. Elladan suffered a deep wound on his shoulder while Elladan was bleeding freely from the forehead. He could already begin to feel dizzy and he knew that there was probably poison on that blade.

Iaurtondariel twirled and ducked as if battle itself was a dance. Her graceful movements awed even the elves around her and they wondered if she was truly elven. The creatures howled and backed away from the deadly elf but the commands of their King drove them on. Her light blade sang as it sliced through the air and through the necks of its victims.

A blast of light shot out in the middle of the hall and the goblins screeched, cowering back in confusion. Mithrandir raised his staff above his head, releasing the powerful beam. The company all hurried towards him but the creatures quickly recovered, resuming their attack.

The dull ringing of metal clashing against metal sounded throughout the cavern, making the elves cringe. The battle seemed to go on for hours yet the goblins showed no signs of weakening. When one goblin would fall, two more would take its place. But the company held steady, desperately trying to break through the masses. Blood dripped from their blades and arrows whistled through the air.

Back in the corner, Jaimea grew weak. Her arms were jammed from the constant beatings and she had taken to a defensive position. The goblins sensed her weakness and they swung at her violently and quickly. The elleth struggled to hold them back but found herself growing more tired after each swing. Finally, a sharp blow knocked her to her back. She scrambled to get up but the goblins were already upon her. She cried out in terror.

Norui cringed at the noise, loosening his hold on his blade. Three goblins were attempting to bring him down but were being quickly battered into nothing. Sensing his flinch, they struck harder and he cried out as his blade was flung out of his hands and he went sprawling to the ground. The goblins leapt upon him before he could reach his weapon.

Legolas watched in horror as he saw his two comrades be overwhelmed by the creatures. For a moment, he stopped in his fight. A new battle raged between his heart and his mind. Would he leave Norui to stand alone and be captured? Or would he forfeit Jaimea to a life of torture and other cruel things that he knew the goblins would do to her?

With renewed strength, he sliced clean through the creatures and they suddenly cowered against his might. Without another thought, he slashed and hacked through the mass, his eyes fixed on the elleth.

Jaimea screeched as the goblins tugged on her hair and tunic. She kicked and clawed at them but it did little to them, their sharp armor protecting their soft bodies. She felt herself being lifted up and her terror increased by tenfold. A large goblin beat her over the head with the pommel of his blade as she thrashed in their arms.

Suddenly, the head of the large goblin slid from its shoulders and its body fell to the ground. The others screeched and howled as the furious golden haired prince sliced through them without a thought. Jaimea fell to the floor and she quickly snatched up the knives again. Legolas continued to slash through them with gritted teeth.

"Run, Jaimea!" He cried and she obeyed, dashing into the masses, twisting and stabbing as she went. Legolas smashed his elbow into a goblin's eye, leaving it withering and screaming in pain, before dashing off after her. But he stopped when he heard his name being called over the screams and smashes. His eyes widened.

"Norui…"

He sprinted through the crowds at an incredible speed that even the goblins dived out of the way. Another bright light shot out of Mithrandir's staff and everyone froze.

Norui was kneeled on the floor before the King of the goblins. His blade was tossed at his side, stained with black blood. The king snorted, its greasy black hair draping in front of its eyes. The companions wondered if the Crown Prince had bowed to the beast but he suddenly fell face forward onto the cold, rock ground.

Crimson blood streamed out from his neck.

Time started again and the company screamed in anger and sorrow. The goblins howled at their King in excitement while some continued the fight. Those who cheered rushed to their leader and grabbed the fallen Crown Prince in their scaly hands.

Legolas watched with wide eyes as his brother was dragged away. He made to rush forward but a hand snatched his arm and he spun around.

"We must go while we have the chance!" Iaurtondariel yelled and pulled on him. He said nothing as his gaze found the stare of his brother's lifeless emerald eyes, never to see again.

The company sprinted up the passage way and soon saw light at the end of the tunnel. They increased their speed and soon found themselves under the light of day once more. Immediately, they cast themselves on the ground and cried out in anguish. The screams echoed over the mountains and the birds looked down upon them with sorrow as if they knew what had just transpired. Tears streamed down their cheeks, leaving trails in their dirtied skin. They flung their weapons aside and just laid on the rocky ground.

Legolas's shoulders trembled as he rested his head on the rocks. His eyes were wide but he saw nothing. He breathed but he did not live. His whole life was dead and he found no purpose in living. He vaguely felt his sisters move towards him and wrap their arms around him. He did not return the gesture.

'I am sorry, Gwador.' He thought, tears catching in his throat, 'You were right. I am sorry. I have failed you.'

_I have failed you. _

**XXXXX**

**Yes, I have been waiting to write that! I hope you enjoyed reading it::grins evilly: By the way, if you remember those random facts about the characters that I posted a while back, you might see the double meaning of the title of this chapter. If you want a hint, go look at the bottom of chapter sixteen. **

**Aranel-Calen- Well, I am glad I know that at least ONE person knew what was going on last chapter! Lol! I'm glad you liked that one and this one! Thank you for the compliment, by the way! It makes me happy::grin: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Ella- Thanks. :grin: You don't like Norui? How come? Lol. Well, I'm sure this chapter pleased you then. As for the secrets…well, Jaimea's will be explained in the sequel and Espenshade's will be explained later in this story. So just sit tight! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Sabre- Yea, too lazy to write your whole name. Hehe. Hold still! I'll save you::sprays some disinfectant on Sabre: Hehe. Yes, sneaky elf! But look what she did to Norui! Lol, just kidding. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Swasti- Oh, it is alright! Take all the time you need just as long as you keep reading! What'd you think of this chapter, eh? Anything make you smile::grins evilly again: Thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**Vanaloth- Lol. Nope, I made up the Muruien. :hugs the Muruien: And I love them, too…except for Turwaithiel and Uhako. I don't like them. :pouts: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Well, that's it! Remember, five reviews gets you a chapter! The sooner I get the reviews, the sooner I update. Also, include your email in your review so I can thank you! See ya! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	34. Blaming the Innocent

**And I am back. Hopefully, you all liked the last chapter. :grins evilly: And yes, he is really dead. Not stunned, shocked, playing a trick, but DEAD. Ehem, anywho, on with the story!**

**Italics represent dream sequence.**

**XX**

Chapter 34- Blaming the Innocent

The rocky valley echoed their cries but the companions did not care. If a horrible creature heard their sorrow, so be it. It was the least of their concerns now. For the first time, the companions let out all of their pain and fear for both the elves in Mirkwood and their fallen comrade. Even Mithrandir had a small trickle in his eye.

Iaurtondariel gazed around at the others with a guilty frown. She mentally blamed herself for the whole thing. If she had not have acted so rashly, Norui would still be alive and they would be half way to her other small home. But no! Her hate of darkness led her to act impulsively instead of trying to find another way out! She gritted her teeth with a growl and fought back a wave of tears.

Jaimea dragged her feet as she made her way over to a withered grey tree. She sat down a tangled roots ungracefully and threw her head in her palms, allowing her tears to fall freely. She had not known him very well and they were not on the best terms, perhaps, but what did that matter when it came to…this? She sniffed and rubbed her red eyes in her hands.

She jolted slightly when she felt something land upon her head and she reached up to take it. A dried, brown leaf, about the size of her palm, had fallen and she furrowed her brow. She looked up at the tree and saw that every other leaf was still its natural green color. She glanced back down to the leaf she twirled in her fingers, biting her lips.

"The first to fall." She whispered in a raspy voice. She le lip through her fingers and the crisp wind carried it away from her.

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The group trudged wearily down the mountain side and came to a grassy valley a few hours later. At the edge of a few trees, they could see a herd of deer grazing quietly in front of a shabby house. The sun as peeking at them over the distant horizon as night approached them. They looked upon its light, not realizing how long they had been in those dreadful caverns. A few birds flitted out of their roosts, squawking shrilly as they flew. Legolas made to stop Espenshade from chasing but them but found there was no need. The falcon sat obediently on his shoulder, her head hanging slightly as if she, too, felt the pain of their loss.

Without a word, Iaurtondariel continued down the foot of the mountain until her boot clad feet touched the springy grass. With a heavy sigh, she bent down and pulled off her boots, wriggling her toes in the grass. She turned to the others.

"Come, remove your shoes and feel the plush grass beneath your feet." She said softly and continued at a gentle jog to the house. Without a word, the companions followed her suggest and hurried after her.

The deer looked up sharply at their approach, their ears and tail erect. They bounded off as the elleth danced towards them, startled by the elf's strange behavior. She didn't hear the others come up behind her as she fished a small, silver key out of one of her many pouches. She thrust it in the lock and the door opened with a small creak. Cobwebs drifted down to the floor but she continued through. The others followed her in without question.

Light leapt up as Iaurtondariel wandered around the house, setting fire to candles and torches in dark corners. A small, wooden table was in the center of the room with two rickety chairs around it. A book shelf sat in a corner and a dusty chair was beside it. An opened book was tossed carelessly to the floor, its pages bent, as if someone had left quickly. Estel bent down to pick it up but the elleth's hand shot out from no where, grabbing his wrist.

"Do not touch it." She said softly yet firmly. The man's grey eyes locked with hers and he nodded once, stepping back.

Iaurtondariel sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest, shivering as if she were cold. Her once bright green eyes gazed around anxiously as she bit her lip.

"We can stay here for this night but then we must move on tomorrow. I suggest we get some sleep. I do not believe any of us are up to speaking." With that, she turned and left the room.

Everyone glanced between each other, not sure of what to do next. Hesitantly, they broke away from each and began further exploration of the house.

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Lothron and Elrohir walked hand in hand down the corridors silently. They spoke not a word to each other lest they disturb the dark tranquility. They both mourned for their friend and brother. The occasional squeeze from the ellon's hand brought the princess back to reality but she quickly fell into the empty void that was her mind.

She could not comprehend the idea of Norui dying. How is it possible? Elves do not die! Elves are meant to live on for eternity, dying only when Arda itself crumbled. True, she had gone through her mother dying but she had gotten something back in return. But Norui had left nothing except an aching pain in her heart.

A crystalline tear shimmered as it trickled down her pale cheek and she vaguely felt a soft touch brush it away. She looked up to meet the grey eyes of her beloved gazing into her own eyes. She struggled to give him a weak smile but found she could not. As her shoulders began to shake with sobs, Elrohir enveloped her in his arms, burying his face in her brown hair as he, too, tried to fight back his tears.

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Melyanna was barely aware of Elladan stroking her mahogany hair behind her pointed ears. Tears flowed steadily down her alabaster cheeks and she did not try to stop them. The ellon's shirt had grown wet from her tears but he said nothing, content with just holding her and trying to comfort her. She had lost a lot in her past and he wished desperately that he could destroy all evil in the world just so he could see her smile again.

"And by the Valar, I will see it done." He said, not realizing he said it out loud. The younger princess looked up at him slowly with red eyes.

"What?" She rasped and he looked down at her eyes. He smiled softly and caressed her cheek with his finger.

"Long has it been since I have seen you happy. I wish you would smile and bring light to the world like you have done in the past." He answered. Melyanna bit her lip and looked back down to the floor.

"I am sorry, melleth-nín, but I fear those days will never come again."

That was not the answer he expected. He did not speak again.

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Iaurtondariel buried her face in her pillows. She clenched the blankets in her fist as she tried to rid her mind of the haunting images of the Crown Prince. Guilt weighed heavily over her and she felt suffocated. She dared not look anyone in the eye lest they see that it was her fault Norui was no longer with them. She feared this over everything else.

And she did not even allow them to rescue the ellon's body! She wanted to slap herself when she realized her selfishness. He was their family yet she could only think of getting out of the dark. Perhaps if they had have saved his body, they could have saved him.

But she doubted it.

She remembered the way his emerald eyes sparkled when he smiled and the way his mahogany hair blew wildly about his face in the crisp, mountain air. Her senses tingled every time he came near her and his woody scent engulfed her. She felt her heart flutter as she thought of him yet she knew she shouldn't. He was a Crown Prince, pure of blood and lineage, while she was only half elf. What would he want with her?

She rolled onto her back and stared up at her ceiling. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. A small smile flitted onto her lips as she recalled the times she and her sister played in this house. It seemed like so many years ago but she remembered it all clearly.

The now empty halls were filled with joyous laughter and the rooms were lit with cheerful light. Shadows danced along the walls and sweet smells wafted out of the kitchen. She could imagine Mithrandir coming in the door with his long pipe between his lips and Maladiel would shoo him out playfully.

A small chuckle escaped her mouth but she soon silenced. Now was not a time for laughter.

Though laughter would cure them all.

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Legolas looked up at the silhouette of Espenshade as she flew in the moon's light. Her eerie screech filled the night air and the prince sighed. He looked down to his hands with glazed eyes. He suddenly felt a great weight placed upon his shoulders and only one thought entered his mind.

He was the new Crown Prince.

If Norui was dead, then he was the only surviving male heir. But he inwardly cursed himself for thinking of such a thing. How could he only think of his status when his brother was dead? Had he no heart anymore? Though he felt as if his heart had been torn out bitterly and stomped upon. Why would the Valar curse him with such a fate?

"What have I done?" He whispered to himself as he clenched his fists tight and closed his eyes as bitter tears began to fall, "Why would you do this to me!" He cried out and gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He gritted his teeth together as he slumped over, his whole body quaking.

He sat there for the longest time, his mind blank. He should have listened to Norui; he was right. He was distracted in battle and it cost him his brother's life. How could he have betrayed his own flesh and blood?

"Legolas?"

The ellon did not turn, already recognizing the voice, and his back stiffened.

Jaimea.

"What do you want?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"I just wanted to see how you were faring." The prince suddenly spun around, eyes ablaze.

"How I am faring! How do you think I am faring! My Gwador has died and I am the new Crown Prince, for Valar's sake!" (brother) The elleth bit her lip and took a tentative step back. His eyes continued to burn in fury and she found herself looking away.

"I am sorry, my lord."

"Sorry will not bring Norui back." Legolas quickly turned back around, kneading his hands on the railing.

Though her mind told her not to, Jaimea took a few steps closer and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. She felt his muscles twitch and she stiffened, waiting for him to spin back around but he did not. Slowly, she moved beside him and waited anxiously for him to speak.

It finally dawned on her that with Norui gone, Legolas was now indeed the Crown Prince of Mirkwood. There was no other heir to the throne. She suddenly found herself looking at him with higher respect and as a completely different person. He would have to step up to the challenge of governing his people…or whatever was left of them.

She bit her lip at this idea.

The King was under the Muru's spell and could very well succumb to its evil. If this were to happen, Legolas would be crowned King! Her eyes widened and she shook her head, clearing those thoughts away. She couldn't imagine someone like him claiming such a high responsibility.

Her thoughts then traveled back to the other elves in Mirkwood. She wondered if any had escaped from the darkness as Norui had. Were any of her friends under the spell? She felt her breath hitch in her throat and she swallowed hard. She had never experienced death before until now. She wouldn't be able to carry on if she knew those back home waiting for her were dead.

"It is your fault."

Jaimea whipped her head around to face Legolas's emotionless one. He still stared out ahead, he eyes locked on nothing. The elleth swallowed hard.

"What?" She whispered.

"You heard me." He replied in a deadly tone.

"But my lord, I don't-"

"I said it was your fault!" He yelled, turning his angry glare on her. His once soft, cerulean eyes had hardened into a deep blue, almost black and she cowered under his gaze, "If it weren't for you, Norui would still be alive!"

"! How could I have stopped him from dying?"

"If you had have listened to me, everything would be alright!"

"But you told me to fight!"

"You should not have then! You remember what happened with the Wargs! You nearly caused me and yourself to die!" Legolas hissed, "If you were not so weak, you would not have been beaten down by a couple of mere goblins! I would not have been distracted and I could have saved Norui!"

"Why must you place the blame on me! It was your own choice to go after me instead of your own brother!" She argued, her face flushed from anger, "You could have left me to the torture and then you would have no guilt right now!"

"Trust me, I have already regretted my choice in saving you!"

That struck a nerve in the elleth's heart and she faltered. She found herself looking away from him to the ground. She could still feel his angry gaze on her and she wondered if he really meant his words. This was so unlike the Legolas she knew. But then again, she had not known him very long. Not everybody is who they give off the impression to be.

"What could I do to rid you of your regret?" She asked in a quaking voice, already guessing his answer.

"Leave."

Her heart spilt in two and her knees went limp underneath her. She leaned heavily on the railing and fought back impending tears. She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

"You do not mean that." She said, hoping he would turn to her with a smile and mirth in his eyes. But he did not.

"Why would I say it if I did not mean it?" He growled, "And do not come back unless Norui returns with you, unscathed."

Every breath seemed to echo in the elleth's ears as she took slow steps back. She could feel every heartbeat as it pulsated in her body. Her vision clouded- with tears or her own imagination, she did not know- and she only wished to be far away. But how could this once kind elf be so cruel?

"Legolas, please-"

"I said leave!" He cried, spinning around to face her. Anger and frustration emanated in his voice yet unshed tears glistened in her eyes. Jaimea stumbled at his sudden outburst but quickly darted off the porch, running as fast as her feet would carry her.

Her heart clenched in her chest as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her cloak billowed out behind her as she sprinted away. To where, she did not know. But she was running.

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Legolas watched the elleth's fleeting form as a single crystalline tear trickled down his cheek and hit the porch with a soft plop. Guilt now weighed even heavier on him but he shook it away. It was the right thing, he told himself. She was a burden to the mission. His mind would be freer now that there was no distraction.

"Gwador?" The prince turned around slowly, his face pale and eyes dimmed. Lothron stood behind him with her arms tucked around herself. Her once bright eyes now mirrored sadness and… disappointment? Legolas furrowed his brow. (Brother)

"Gwathel." He replied in greeting, then turned back around. The elleth's form had disappeared in the Sun's waning light. (Sister)

"Why did you do that?" She asked in a breathy voice. The ellon winced and he stiffened his back.

"Because I had to." He replied, "Norui would still be here if she not have come with us." He heard her soft footsteps coming up beside him and she cupped his chin in her hand, turning his head to look at her.

"Jaimea had nothing to do with Norui's death. It is only a happenstance that she was placed under danger at the same moment Norui was." Legolas stared into her shimmering eyes, not saying a word, "And you know this."

The prince swallowed hard and turned his gaze away from his sister's. Her emerald eyes seemed to pierce his soul, searching for any sign of weakness to use against him. Her could still feel her eyes on him, watching him expectantly, and he shuffled nervously.

"It was something that needed to be done." He answered quietly, "She should not have come with us anyway. She is no warrior." Lothron said nothing more but continued to watch her brother. She missed his carefree spirit and wondered if it would ever come back.

Her greatest fear now was that he would fade. Ever since they were elflings, he and Norui had been inseparable. They did everything together, including causing mayhem in the palace. Even as they grew older, mischief always followed them around. It used to annoy her to no end, having been the main target more times then not, but now that he was gone, she had a feeling that she was going to miss it.

"I should have gone after Norui first." Legolas whispered to himself, "I could have saved him and then gone to Jaimea. They wouldn't have killed her but Norui was a threat to them. Had my mind not been clouded by her I would have made the better choice."

Lothron sighed and put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. He could see the tears glistening in her eyes and he suddenly softened, cupping both of her cheeks in his palms.

"Do not cry, my sister." He said softly.

"How can I not? He was my brother as well."

"I should have-"

"Legolas, do not blame yourself! It is not your fault." Her hand ran up to caress his cheek in a sisterly way, "You can't save everyone, Gwador."

It felt as if a knife had plunged its way into his heart at those words. His senses came flooding back to him and he knew what she said was true. If he had have gone after Norui, it would be Jaimea who was dead. Either way, he would still be sitting here on the porch with an aching heart. He choked back the lump in his throat, fighting back the tears.

"Oh, Lothron, you are right. How could I have been so foolish? And poor Jaimea! I cannot fathom the pain that I have brought to her!" Quickly, he turned away from the elleth and nearly flew down the stairs. He began to dart off but not even after a few steps, he felt something tugging at his cloak. He turned back around with a wild look in his eye, "Lothron, I must find her! She cannot be out there alone!" He cried with desperation. The Crown Princess frowned slightly and nodded.

"I understand." She replied, "But I am coming with you."

A small smile crept up on the ellon's face at her words and he nodded.

"Thank you."

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Jaimea ran until she could no longer find the strength to move her legs. Her legs dropped out from underneath of her and she collapsed onto the dewy grass, moaning softly. She lay there under the stars for the longest time, her mind blank. All she could feel was the painful breaking of her heart. A great, throbbing ache resounded in her chest and she gritted her teeth, rolling over onto her back. She blinked when she found her vision a complete blur. Whether this was from exhaustion or heartbreak, she did not know. And neither did she care.

She could not believe that elf! How could he throw the blame on her when it was something she could not help? Could he not see that she was affected by Norui's death as well? He did not have the right to cast the blame on someone who was just as innocent as him in the matter. It could not be helped.

And yet her feelings were jumbled together. Part of her wanted to be angry with him but she found she could not be. She recollected everything he said to her but found no hate towards him. Pain twisted at her heart and she bit her lips to keep from crying out. What was happening to her? Her mind was just an entire sea of confusion.

The soft chirping of the crickets soon lured her to a deep sleep. The noise buzzed in her ears and she couldn't help but be relaxed. The wind brushed her golden-brown hair along her face but she paid no attention. Soon, her eyes closed and she drifted off into an uneasy dream.

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"_Where am I?" _

"_Hush, be still." _

_Grass tickled her arms and bright sunlight pierced through her eyelids. She shielded her eyes with her hand and slowly opened them. All around her was long, green grass and tall trees. Birds chirped happily as they flitted from one tree to another. She looked to her side and nearly fainted from shock._

_A tall, elven woman sat on her legs next to her, smiling softly down at her. Her cerulean eyes sparkled in mirth and her dew-colored gown seemed to fall down her and pool at her legs like a waterfall. Her golden hair shone in the sun's rays, wafting down her shoulders like a stream. _

"_My lady!" Jaimea cried, leaping up as well as she could but she soon found herself back on the ground, sputtering like a fish out of water, "My Queen!" _

_The woman chuckled, her voice sounding like silver bells ringing. _

"_Be calm, Jaimea. I wish only to speak with you." _

"_Where am I?" She asked. Suddenly, her eyes widened and her hands flew to her chest, "Have I faded?" She questioned when she found no pulse. Ithilwen smiled softly and shook her head._

"_Nay, you have not, little one. As I said, I would like to speak to you as I have my son." _

_At the mentioning of him, Jaimea glared angrily but found no true hatred. Only confusion. _

"_What can I do for you, my lady?" The glowing elleth grinned cheekily. _

"_You have taken a liking to my youngest, my Greenleaf." The other elleth felt a blush rise up on her cheeks but she ignored it._

"_There is nothing between us, my lady." She replied, looking away. _

"_Oh?" The Queen asked, still grinning, "You think about him. Even as you drifted off to sleep, you thought of him." _

"_Because he angers me, my lady! I wish to have no more contact with him!" _

_Ithilwen did not speak as she stared at the elleth beside her. Hurt radiated off of her form and she took pity on her. Deep in side, Jaimea knew that she still had feelings for the ellon no matter how much she denied. His words stung, yes, but they could be forgotten in time. _

_Jaimea looked over when she heard the Queen moving closer to her. She shifted nervously but stayed where she was._

"_Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love." _

_The elleth found nothing to say as she took in Ithilwen's words. She glanced up to meet her eyes but soon looked back down to her open palms. She knew she was right but how could she tell Legolas? He was angry with her and blamed her for Norui's death. _

"_Child, fret not over my son's death. It was not your own doing, no matter what anyone else tells you. It was his time to go." The Queen said as if she were reading her thoughts. Jaimea blinked in surprise and looked up at her._

"_Is…is he here?" She questioned. A small smile came upon Ithilwen's pink lips._

"_Yes, he is here." She responded._

"_May I see him?" _

"_No." The elleth replied, though the smile remained, "He is occupied at the moment but he does send you and your companions greetings." She made to continue but she stopped in her action, her smile turning into a grin, "I believe someone is looking for you. Can you hear him calling?" Jaimea furrowed her brow and concentrated her acute hearing but heard nothing. _

"_Nay, I do not." _

"_Listen closely. Close your eyes, concentrate." The young elleth did as she was told and soon lost herself in her own mind. The calling of her name became more clear and she nodded._

"_I hear it, my lady." She waited for a moment but the Queen never replied. Furrowing her brow again, she opened her eyes but found it was dark once more. She was in the same spot in the grass, staring out into the distance._

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Two people were calling her name and she recognized one of them as Lothron. The other, she dreaded, was Legolas. Her heart pounded in her chest as they drew nearer, unsure of what they wanted. Why would they come after her after she was sent away?

Legolas felt a tear spill out as he ran, degrading himself to no end. How could he have done such a heartless thing? She would never forgive him now!

"Legolas, stop!" Lothron called but the prince was too lost in his thoughts. He turned to look back at his sister but soon found himself face first to the ground. He heard a muffled groan underneath of him and he opened his eyes, coming face to face with the one he was seeking.

He could feel himself go red with embarrassment, his sister's calls not reaching his ears. Jaimea stared up at him with wide eyes and a quivering breath. The tips of his ears went warm and he quickly rolled off of her.

"Sorry." He muttered quickly, keeping his eyes away. The elleth hurried to sit up and she backed away from him, anxiousness radiating off her body. More calls came from the Crown Princess but neither heard them.

"You oaf!" Lothron cried as she gave her brother a nice wallop on the back of his head, "Watch where you are going next time!" Jaimea stood up quickly and the spell was broken. After a few more moments of ranting, the elleth turned back to Jaimea with a small smile, "Please, Jaimea, you must come back with us. Whatever Legolas said, it isn't true. We all know it. You should not blame yourself."

"I know." Was her answer. The two looked between each other in surprise, then turned back to her.

"So you will come with us?" The princess asked.

"Yes."

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Iaurtondariel hurried around her room with an old knapsack in her hand. She tossed a few items inside then slung it over her back. She grabbed her blade from the corner and shoved it in the sheath at her hip. She opened the door, taking one last look at her room, then hurried away.

She tiptoed past the sleeping elves, man and wizard scattered around her home. She noticed that they all slept with their eyes closed. Also, three of them were missing. Normally, she would have worried but for now, she would use it to her advantage.

She went out onto the porch and sighed in content as the breeze brushed against her skin. She would have been happy to just stand there and feel the wind but she had a mission to do.

To return Norui to the living.

She was not sure how she was to do this but if one tried hard enough, anything is possible. And, with that, she leapt off the porch and ran as fast as she could back to the mountains.

**XX**

**Well, there you have it. Once again, I don't really like this chapter very much. I hope you guys liked it though. Oh, and here are my excuses for being late. One, homework. Two, my muses left me. And three, PSATs at school. Not fun. Anywho. **

**Endarine- Speechless, eh? Hehe, good! I like driving people insane! Muahaha! Ehem, right. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't much to look forward to but I tried. Like I said, I have my reasons. Hopefully the next one will be better. But thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Gemini969- Yes, poor Norui::hugs his grave: I'll miss you! I hope this chapter was okay. Not as good as last one, but it is something. :sigh: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Sabre- How dare I? Hehe. Hey, you never know! She may have been but I just didn't say anything! Muahaha! But yea, she is gonna be the heroine now. :grin: I hope you are liking how she is turning out, by the way. Thanks for reading and reviewing, mellon-nín! **

**Okay, that is all. Oh, go read my other story I just posted! Please! Thanks! Now… REVIEW! Five reviews gets you another chapter! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	35. Hidden From Me, Hidden From You

**Hello there, people. I hope you had a good month::grin: I hope this chapter is better then the last. Although after reading it again, it is better then I thought it was. Oh well. Sometimes, I just don't give myself enough credit. At least, that is what my friends tell me… **

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Chapter 35- Hidden From Me, Hidden From You

"Where has she gone?"

"I don't know."

"Has she abandoned us?"

The companions were shocked and confused when they woke up to find Iaurtondariel missing. They all searched the area inside and out but found nothing. Only her pack was gone. They debated whether or not to stay there and wait or to continue on. She had said that they would keep moving in the morning but they had not anticipated her disappearance. Only Mithrandir knew the way to the city of the Muruien yet even his memory was vague of its exact location.

"We cannot waste time." Estel said, "I think it would be best if we kept going."

"But we are not sure of the way! It would take even more time if we were to go astray." Elladan argued.

"But we do not know how long Lady Iaurtondariel will be gone. Who knows, she could have gone back to her home with her sister!" The human retorted.

"And maybe she didn't! What then? What if she is just out looking for food and when she comes back, we are gone!"

They argued back and forth, no one coming to any conclusion. The only one not in the fray was Melyanna who stood away from everyone with her arms wrapped around herself. She sighed worriedly as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"If only Norui were here."

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Iaurtondariel hissed sharply as she slipped yet again on a moss covered rock. She caught her breath for a moment before pulled herself to her knees carefully. She spread her legs out in front of her and glared when she saw her leggings had a small tear by the knee and a purple bruise was steadily growing. Grunting, she pulled herself to her feet, careful to keep her weight off her injured leg, and continued forward.

The elleth had been walking without rest for hours and, despite her elven stamina, it was starting to wear on her. Every step felt like rocks were tied to her feet and every breath was labored. The air continued to thin and this did nothing but slow her down. Thoughts of turning back crossed her mind.

'No.' She told herself, 'I am stronger then that. Besides, I am the one at fault.' With this in mind, she gritted her teeth and continued trudging up the mountains.

When the sun was high in the sky, the rocky opening of the caves came into view. Iaurtondariel paused before it, glaring into its depth. A dark fear began to grip over her heart and she faltered. The idea of returning began to appeal to her but she shook the feeling off. The worst thing she could do now was go back and betray Norui again. With a resolute sigh, she took the last few steps into the cavern and darkness consumed her form.

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The companions walked in silence, no one aware of the time passing. Espenshade's shadow glided solemnly before them. Mithrandir walked in front of them, leaning heavily on his staff. Even the old wizard showed signs of sorrow and fear. The will of the company diminished when the Crown Prince left them and they lagged in their traveling. Even with the danger back in Mirkwood, no one could find the drive to continue forward.

Legolas looked up to the falcon soaring in the air and he could tell that even she mourned the loss. His mind wandered back to his life before all of this started; when he could wander his forest without worry and when he and his family could enjoy their immortal life. He missed his naneth and the way everything lit up when she smiled. How, when he was still an elfling, she would pick him up and toss him in the air, her laughter ringing throughout the room. But then she was taken away from him.

His frown deepened and he turned his gaze to the ground.

'Why am I burdening myself with more now? I have enough to think about.'

More time passed and, before they knew it, the moon came up to greet them. Faint hints of stars appeared in the sky and they came to a halt at Mithrandir's command. A small fire was built up and sleeping mats were laid out. All lay down immediately and drifted off to sleep except Mithrandir, Estel and Legolas. The wizard drew from within his pack his old map. The other two watched tiredly as he pondered over the parchment until he finally set it down before them.

"If my sense of direction is still as good as it used to be, I would say that we are about half a mile east of the river Ringlo. If we follow its course south, we will come to the fork between Ringlo and Kiril. From there, we will turn away from the rivers and eventually come to the forests of Edhellond." He explained slowly and carefully, as if making their route up as he spoke. The ellon and human looked over the parchment and nodded, then the Istar folded it up, "Good, get some sleep then." With that, Mithrandir stood up and went to his sleeping mat.

Estel and Legolas exchanged glances before following the wizard's example. They lay down upon their own bed rolls and gazed up at the sky. Stars twinkled more brightly now and the moon was concealed by dark clouds. The soft chirping of crickets was all they could hear and the occasional cry of a night bird. They sat in silence for a few moments before the human sighed tiredly, tucking his arms under his head, and looked to the elf.

"How are you doing?" He asked softly. Legolas didn't respond for a while, chewing on his bottom lip as if contemplating the answer.

"Fine, I guess." He replied just as quietly.

"Don't withdraw."

The elf furrowed his brow and looked over to his friend, confusion written on his face.

"What do you mean?" Estel smiled without humor and looked back up to the sky.

"I remember when I was still little, you and Norui and your sisters would come to Rivendell for a visit. Melyanna and Lothron would fuss over me, no matter how much I told them to stop, and Norui would teach me how to 'be a man', as he put it. But when I came to you, you would be cold. I never knew why and I always told myself that it was me that made you that way. My brothers told me that it was something that I wouldn't even remember but I couldn't help it. That is just what I thought." The man paused and looked to the ellon. His blue eyes glistened and watched him apprehensively, waiting for what he was going to say next.

"And now I am seeing it again. You hardly spoke today, not even to your sisters, and you blamed Lady Jaimea for something that we all know is not her fault. There is a dark part of your mind, Legolas, that you use for retreat and you lash out at everyone who tries to help. There are people who care for you, no matter what you think. We've all tried to help you free yourself of this dark place but you resist. Can you at least tell me what you are hiding from and we are fighting against?"

Legolas sighed heavily and turned away from Estel. His eyes wandered over the black sky, subconsciously picking out the constellations of stars. His heart beat slowly yet his mind raced. Should he tell him? Should he expose himself to this man, something that he would never even do for his family?

"I am afraid."

The human had to strain to hear the elf's whispered words. He furrowed his brow and rolled over to his side, propping his head up with elbow.

"What?"

"I am afraid." Legolas repeated a little louder.

"Of what?"

"Of being alone." The elf closed his eyes, his mind screaming at him to stop and go to sleep while his heart bade him to confess, "I am afraid that if I get too close to anyone, they will be taken away. Just like everyone else I've loved. First it was Naneth, then Norui, and-"

"But do you not understand what you are doing?" Estel cut in, "You are pushing people away and making this fear come true. The more you shut them out, the more alone you will be."

"I know but I cannot help it. Why should I become close to someone if I know that they will be taken away eventually?" The prince questioned softly. The human shot him a sidelong glance.

"Is that why you pushed Lady Jaimea away?" Legolas flinched and quickly rolled the other way.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. I've said enough already."

"You cannot deny the fact that you lo-"

"I do not!" The ellon hissed, spinning back around to glare at his friend, "I never have and I never will!" And with that, he faced away from him with an aggravated huff. Estel smirked.

"You are certainly quick to deny it, mellon-nín. Perhaps you are trying to hide your true feelings." He grinned when he saw the elf tense and stiffen.

"I am ignoring you now." Legolas growled, clenching his eyes tight. Estel fought back a snicker.

"Then why did you answer?"

"Dain!" (Silence!) The human's grin widened and he followed the elf's command.

Moments passed and the two remained in silence. Legolas sighed softly in relief and let himself relax. He willed his mind to fall into elven slumber and let his limbs go limp. He was about to drift into sweet elven dreams when the man suddenly spoke out.

"Legolas?" He called and the elf growled, narrowing his eyes.

"What?"

"Look up there."

Furrowing his brow in curiosity and confusion, the elf rolled onto his back and looked up in the direction Estel was pointing in. All he saw were the bright stars dotted across the sky.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"Do you not see it?" The man asked, smiling slightly, and he nodded upwards, "You see those two stars that are separated from each other?" Legolas studied the sky closer and saw that two stars- one shining bright gold and the other a faint orange- were indeed placed away from any other star, as if they were outcasts in the heavens.

"What about them?"

"You say that you have lost your Naneth and your brother but they have not lost you. They are up there, watching you and me and everyone else. They go out of their way just to make sure you are safe, just like those stars are doing. Queen Ithilwen and Norui are watching us right now from those stars." He paused to make sure the prince was still listening, "So whenever you feel alone, or you cannot go on, look up to them. They will always be there with you."

Legolas frowned and looked down from the sky.

"No one is watching us, Estel." He breathed, "Hope is lost without Norui."

"Legolas." The elf looked back to the man. The smile had been wiped off the young man's face and was replaced by a small frown, "They are the wind that blows through your hair and the rain that quenches the Earth's land; the sun that warms your face and the calls of the world's creatures." He looked into the elf's eyes, "Just because you cannot see them doesn't mean that they are not there."

His heart constricted as he gazed into his friend's grey eyes. The realization hit him like a hammer and he suddenly felt foolish and selfish. He was not the only one who missed the people they had lost. And they were not the only ones who were gone.

By locking himself up for all this time, he slowly disappeared from the ones he loved and the ones who loved him. He was only hurting himself by hiding from his fears and one day, he would have to come to terms with that. And today was that day.

The elf opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again, lost on what to say. What could he say? The man was right, no matter how he looked at it.

"You have much wisdom, Estel, mellon-nín." He whispered, "You are becoming more and more like an elf everyday." A small smile graced the human's lips, "Thank you for that; it was what I needed. I am proud to call you my friend."

Estel could only grin.

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Iaurtondariel shivered as she brought her arms around her knees. Everything around her was black and rocky. The darkness had crep way into her heart and froze her body. Being stuck in a cavern with absolutely no light would grate on any elf's nerve but the elleth was beginning to loose her composure. Her wide, green eyes gazed around, unseeing, despite her keen senses.

"I will be alright." She told herself over and over, "There is nothing to fear. Except maybe a few goblins or an orc or maybe even a warg but that isn't much to fret about, right?" She forced herself to smile, "Yes, everything is fine. The dark won't get to me. Besides, I have to find Norui."

Taking a deep breath, she came to her feet and situated her pack on her shoulders. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, composing herself and seeking the right path at the same time. Once her mind was decided, she continued on into the dark.

As she walked, she found her resolve began to diminish once again. Every footstep echoed off the rock walls and rang tauntingly in her sensitive ears. She began to falter but she would always gather her courage and keep moving in the vast, empty halls of the mountain.

She did not know how much time had passed but she could feel the stress in her legs from walking on such uneven ground. Her eyelids began to droop and she slackened her pace. She was about to stop and lay down but a faint light coming from the end of the tunnel caught her eye. Her heart singing at the idea of having light, she hurried forward, ignoring the dangers the light could possibly hold.

The tunnel opened up into a large cavern where dozens of fires and candles lined the walls. Iaurtondariel dropped to her knees, grinning in relief, but her happiness was soon taken away from her. Memories came flashing back and she closed her eyes tightly to fight them away. She leaned back and brought her arms around her knees again, burying her face in her arms.

"Why did I come here?" She whispered to herself, "Why did I come here when I knew that I would come to this room where Norui was killed?"

The goblins had gone and the room was empty. The elleth strained her eyes to see Norui, even if he was tossed to the side, forgotten. At least she would be able to rescue him from mutilation by the horrible creatures. But she could not see him, not even a trace was left of what had happened. She stifled the tears that threatened to spill over and she stood up slowly, biting her lips.

"I'll find you, Norui. Don't worry."

As carefully and quietly as she could, she made her way down to the cavern's floor. As she dropped down, she immediately fell into a crouch, her eyes wide and alert. She took one more search of the area for any signs of Norui but found none. The only thing that caught her eye was a trail of blood leading from the room into yet another tunnel.

"And it's dark, too." She muttered, turning away from the blood, "But now I have an idea of where they have taken him. Perhaps I can just rest a bit." With a shaky sigh, she lay down on the cold floor, resting her head on her arms. Of course, it did not cross her mind that this was the one thing she had learned never to do from her trainers: rest out in the open where you knew your enemy could be or has been.

Her eyes glazed over and closed, despite the fact that she was elvish. Only when they were injured or exhausted did they sleep with their eyes closed. But Iaurtondariel welcomed the deep sleep that freed her from the suffocating darkness.

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Dawn had come again and the company was up in an instant. The last few hot embers were put out and the supplies gathered up. A meager breakfast was shared without a word and they continued on their route. Espenshade flew up above them, alerting them of her presence occasionally with her screech.

"Legolas?" Estel grinned slightly as he came up beside his friend. The elf looked to him.

"Yes?" He questioned.

"Are you going to do it?" The ellon's eyes narrowed.

"Do what?" The human's grin widened and he moved his gaze to another member of the group. Legolas followed his gaze and scowled.

"No." He answered stubbornly. Estel stifled a cackle and nudged the elf in the ribs.

"You know you want to." He urged.

"No, I don't." Legolas retorted, "If I did, I would have done so already." The man quirked an eyebrow.

"You know, I don't believe you when you say that."

"Well, you should. I'm not going to do it." His face softened, "Besides, I wouldn't know what to say."

"Sure you would." Estel replied, clapping him on the shoulder, "With your charm and good looks, your confidence should be a mile high!" His grip tightened, "Now, get to it!" He shoved the elf forward, nearly causing him to loose his balance.

Legolas looked over his shoulder, glaring daggers at the man, but Estel only grinned and motioned for him to go on. But the grin was quickly wiped off his face when the elf only stormed to the front of the group, tension radiating off of his body.

The man sighed and looked down to his feet. Only a soft touch on his arm made him look up and he smiled slightly.

"Hello, Arwen." He said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled and slipped her hand in his.

"So I am assuming it didn't work?" She questioned quietly and he shook his head.

"No, it didn't. He is as stubborn as ever, it appears."

"Should I talk to him?"

"No, it is alright. He'll talk when he is ready."

"But Estel, he needs someone who will love him now. I think more then any of us, it is him who needs it more. You know better then I do how close he was to his Gwador." (Brother)

"I know but I don't want to push him." Estel said, looking back down to his feet.

"Then perhaps it would be best if we talked to her instead? She might be ready to accept him again." Arwen suggested. He shrugged.

"That is possible. He wouldn't have a choice then, would he?" The elleth smiled.

"No, he wouldn't."

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Voices. High-pitched and rough voices. That was all she heard as she slowly slipped from sleep. She furrowed her brow and willed herself to awaken. But as her eyes opened, she suddenly wished she was back at her home, safe and sound.

"What is this?" A voice sneered and Iaurtondariel's eyes widened, "A pretty one, ain't she?"

Ten goblins were huddled all around her, giving her no chance of escape. Their large eyes stared at her dangerously and hungrily. The elleth gulped, already reaching for a blade. One of them hissed and grabbed her tightly around the wrist.

"Don't go trying nothin', she-elf!" He spat, yanking her arm around. She gritted her teeth at the sharp pain and glared at the creature.

"Unhand me now!" She commanded. The goblins only snickered, displaying their pointed, yellow teeth. The hand on her arm tightened.

"What are we going to do with her?" Another asked as the group began to squirm with anticipation. They licked their teeth, chomping their teeth together, and the elleth gulped as her eyes widened.

'This cannot be happening…' She thought.

In an instant, the goblins were upon her. She screamed as she desperately tried to keep them at bay, kicking and punching. Her fist connected sharply with one's nose and it screeched, stepping back from the fight. This only seemed to anger the creatures more and they punched at her viciously.

A knock to the head set her back and they quickly took this to their advantage. A few pinned her down to the ground while the others searched out her weapons, tossing them aside carelessly.

"Get off of me!" She cried, struggling to gain her feet but a sharp blow to the temple sent her into oblivion.

Iaurtondariel sputtered as she was woken from her unwelcome 'sleep'. Water dripped from her hair and down her nose as she tried to clear her hazy vision. The ground was cold again and everything seemed dark except for a faint light behind. She struggled to sit up but froze when she heard the snickering of another goblin behind her.

"Good, you're awake." He grinned devilishly, fingering the hilt of his jagged sword, "Now, you just stay here like a good she-elf and wait to see what the boss is going to do with you." She tried desperately to get up but found herself too weak. Cackling, the goblin turned and slammed a door behind him.

Darkness engulfed her form and her heart tightened in her chest. Not only was she captured by a band of mere goblins, she was locked in a dark room. She willed herself to stay calm but found that her resolve had diminished. A tear slid down her cheek and then another. Her shoulders racked uncontrollably and she cursed herself for even leaving the safety of her home.

"I should have listened and stayed with Maladiel. None of this would have happened had I not been so stubborn. I barely even knew these people yet I betrayed my sister's trust to help them." She ran her hands over her face, "I am so stupid." She lay down on the hard floor, tears still flowing, "Why would Eru wish this on me? What wrong have I done to deserve this torture?"

She looked around her dark prison and, to her surprise, was able to make out a figure lying on the opposite side of the room. She tried to stop her tears and she sat up.

"Hello?" She called, hoping for whatever it was to help her even though they were prisoner as well, "Are you alright?" When the person didn't reply, she slowly inched forward, desperate for some civilized company. The elleth slowly slid across the floor, not finding the strength to stand up. She bit her lip as she approached, reaching tentatively out, "My-"

She stopped suddenly, her voice hitching in her throat and her heart racing. Her green eyes widened.

"Sweet Eru…" She breathed, "Norui…"

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The company had stopped to take a short rest on the outskirts of a small patch of trees. Food was served cold and, once again, everyone at in silence. Even those that sat beside each other said nothing…except one.

"How are you feeling?" Arwen whispered, taking a small bite of food.

"Alright." Jaimea answered, bringing her legs underneath of her, "What about you?"

"Oh, I am…managing." The other elleth answered, smiling slightly. The blonde haired elf smiled half-heartedly and looked to her hands with a sigh. They sat in silence for a while longer before the dark haired elleth moved closer to the other, "Have you been thinking about him?" Jaimea glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

"Who? Norui?" She questioned and Arwen shook her head.

"No, I mean him." She motioned towards the blonde haired ellon sitting on a fallen log, stroking his falcon slowly. Jaimea glared and looked away.

"No." She replied sharply, "I haven't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Arwen's face lit up as a new plan came to her mind. She smiled.

"He has been thinking of you." She whispered behind her food. The other elleth's eyes widened and she looked at her sharply.

"He has?" She breathed. Arwen nodded.

"All of the time. He has spoken to me of you before, wishing to the Gods that he could take back everything he said to you that night." The blonde haired elf frowned slightly, biting her lip.

"Nothing he does can make me forget." The other elleth sighed and nodded.

"I know it is hard but you cannot be mad at him forever. He knows he was wrong in what he said. He was only blinded by his grief." She said, "You should talk to him."

"Why should I approach him? He is the one who is at fault, not me." Jaimea retorted, "He has to talk to me if he wants any chance of forgiveness." She sat silent for a moment, then looked at the other elf out of the corner of her eye, "But what has he said about me?" Arwen grinned.

"He says you are the most beautiful elleth he has ever seen and is glad that he ever met you. He doesn't know where he'd be now if you weren't there beside him." She smiled, "He loves you, Jaimea. Just give him a chance." The dark haired beauty then stood gracefully and strode away, leaving Jaimea alone with her thoughts.

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A harsh screech echoed through the dense forest. Fog wafted just above the ground and vines hung down from the trees like nets. Frogs croaked in stagnant pools and lizards skittered through the undergrowth. The air was thick and muggy and the whole place seemed unsuitable for life.

Except for one cloaked figure. It leaned against a tree, panting heavily and favoring one leg over the other. Its face was concealed by the cloak and only two strangely shaped legs were visible. It glanced from side to side, grunting occasionally. Only when the sound of an approaching horse reached its ears did it perk up.

It watched as the rider dismounted and its lips curled up into a smirk. The rider patted her steed on the neck, brushing her long, brown hair out of her dark blue eyes. She gazed into the forest and sighed tiredly. Suddenly, the horse was engulfed by a blinding, white light and when it cleared, a tall man stood in its place. His face was framed by messy, brown hair and was clad in a brown tunic. His brown eyes followed the lady as she went into the forest.

"How do ya know he will be here?" The man asked roughly, smoothing out his clothes.

"Because I can sense his presence here somewhere." She replied, pushing a few vines out of the way. The man rolled his eyes and followed her.

The cloaked being grinned and stealthily made his way towards the two companions. Its grin widened as he came up behind the woman but was nearly knocked on its back when she swirled around, knife in hand. She glared at it for a moment, ignoring the man behind her, then rolled her eyes.

"I told you he'd be here." She grunted, sheathing the knife.

"Suspicious, as usual, I see." The cloaked man said, taking a few steps back. His voice was deep yet smooth and it rang throughout the area. The other man came up beside the woman, glaring at the other, "It is a pleasure to see you again, Turwaithiel, Uhako." The two exchanged glances before bowing to the hooded one.

"And it is a pleasure to see you again as well, Lord Eruko."

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**What can I say about my lateness? No excuse will change the fact that it has been over a month since I updated so I'll just skip them. I hope you guys are still hanging with me though! No matter what, I'll continue writing and finish this story. As long as I know even one person is reading, I'll keep posting. All I can say is I'm sorry and I give you person to beat me up with random objects.**

**Also, I'm not going to respond to reviews here anymore because of the new feature that has been added. I think I already sent out responses to last chapter's review and if I didn't, thank you for reading! **

**Last thing. If you don't remember who Eruko is, go reread chapter thirty three: Farewell to the Sun. Okay, now I'm done. See you later! And Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow American readers! **

**Until Next Time, **

**Manwathiel**


	36. Blinded By Silence

**Hello! And yay! I feel like I haven't gotten that many reviews in ages::dances: You have made me so happy! Hehe! Here is the next chapter! **

**Oh, by the way, I've put my other story 'Changing the Fates' on hiatus so I could work on this one and hopefully spit out chapters quicker. :D I'd like to have this done by the end of February but we'll see how it goes. With that said, on with the show!**

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Chapter 36- Blinded By Silence

"Norui!" Iaurtondariel cried, reaching out for his cold hand and desperately trying to see his face clearly through the dark. She could feel no life in him and it sent a wave of dreadful chills up her spine. Though she knew she would find nothing, she pressed her sensitive ear to his chest, hoping to Eru that there was still a faint flutter of a heart beat.

But she found nothing.

Tears slid down her face as her body went lax against his. One hand curled into a fist around his tunic and the other tightened its grip on the ellon's hand, "I am so sorry, Norui, mellon-nín." She whispered, "I should have stayed to help you. I should have protected you. You'd still be alive if it weren't for me." Sorrowful words kept flowing past her lips yet she paid no real attention to what she was saying.

She was relieved that she had found the elven prince, though she knew he would not be living once she found him. But one part of her wanted to believe that he would still be alright; that his wound was not as bad as it seemed. She kept hoping that he would wake up any minute now from slumber, wondering why she was there with him.

But she realized that this was only wishful thinking and was never going to come true.

Suddenly, a small part of her mind compelled her to sit up and find out for herself how much damage was really done to him. She immediately felt disgusted with herself but could not quell that desire. Slowly and without thinking, she sat up and put her hands on his arm. Gritting her teeth and clenching her eyes tight, she ran her hands up his arm gently, feeling every bruise and cut he had acquired. Nothing she found was very serious or life-threatening.

But as her hands traveled further up and she felt the collar of his tunic, her hands faltered and her eyes widened, 'What am I doing!' She thought in shock and quickly recoiled. Her eyes, now slightly more adjusted to the dark, lingered over the ellon's pale face. His eyes were still open though lifeless and the elleth could see a deep, dark gash across his throat. Biting her lips, Iaurtondariel reached up and closed his eyelids, whispering an elvish prayer.

"I am so sorry."

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Mithrandir sighed tiredly as he gathered his robes about him, gazing out into the distance from under his wide-brimmed hat. His grey eyes squinted, blocking out the bright sun. The old wizard turned when he heard his companions talking quietly and waited for them to catch up. Estel looked up at him with a small smile.

"What is it?" He questioned, coming to stand beside him.

"We have reached the river Ringlo." He replied softly, nodding towards the east. Sure enough, a rushing river flowed briskly away and disappeared into the horizon. The human nodded once, shifted his pack on his back.

"Shall we rest here?"

"For a moment."

Most of the group had already headed down towards the river's edge and Estel was quick to join them, picking up his pace. Mithrandir watched the young man hurry down to the others with a small frown. Sighing, he gazed back behind himself and searched the rolling lands as if searching for something. Finally, another sigh broke from his lips and he turned back, heading down to his companions.

Elrohir kicked off his boots and stepped into a shallow area of the river. He dug his toes into the thick silt, closing his eyes as the cool sensation swept over his feet and legs. He rolled up his leggings to his knees and slowly waded further out into the water, unhindered by the current. He listened to the others still on shore as they plopped down on the ground with heavy sighs.

After a moment, he heard someone approaching him from behind and he immediately knew it as Elladan, recognizing his twin's aura. He exhaled slowly and glanced briefly over his shoulder when he felt a hand on his arm. Elladan's grey eyes glanced back at him worriedly.

"It is not normal for you to be silent like this." He said quietly, coming to stand beside the identical ellon, "I understand, of course, but I don't think I would ever be able to get used to it." A fleeting smile graced the other elf's lips but it quickly disappeared.

"Ai, I know." He replied just as quietly, "I am only thinking." Elladan nodded once at this and looked down at the crystal clear water. For a brief moment, he saw the reflection of the Peregrine Falcon fly overhead silently. He looked up quickly and watched as she swooped in the air and then landed gracefully on her master's shoulder. The Noldo watched as the golden haired prince stroked the creature's back slowly and sadly. Elladan chewed on his bottom lip and narrowed his eyes in thought. Quickly, he turned back to his brother who had his eyes closed with his face leaning up into the sun.

"Elrohir?" He whispered, nudging the ellon gently in the ribs.

"Yes?" The other twin replied, not turning to look at him.

"We need to cheer Legolas up." Elrohir opened his eyes and blinked, turning to look at his brother. An impish grin was plastered on his face. The other elf quirked his brow.

"I think everyone needs cheering up, Elladan, us included." He answered. Elladan shook his head in exasperation.

"Mourning for him is not going to bring Norui back, Gwador-nín." He said, "And we have to get the princeling out of his grief before he succumbs to it and joins his brother. Besides, Norui would not want us to despair for his death." Elrohir seemed to straighten at this and he nodded once.

"Aye, you are correct on that one. We cannot let that happen to our beloved Legolas." A grin slowly formed upon his lips, "What do you have in mind?" A devilish cackle escaped the Noldo elf's mouth.

"Now that is what I like to hear." He grinned and looked back to the shore. Mithrandir was perched upon a small boulder, chewing absently on his pipe. Lothron and Melyanna sat side by side in silence while the other two ellith, Arwen and Jaimea, were conversing quietly a little ways from the group. Legolas still sat with his legs crossed under him, stroking Espenshade gently, while Estel was…

Elladan's grin widened.

Estel had taken off his boots and was currently attempting to come into the water. Anytime he would come in the water, he'd make it about a foot in and then quickly run out, muttering about the freezing temperatures. The human glared at the water with his arms crossed. Once again, he made the plunge. He gritted his teeth as the cold feeling stung his feet but he was determined to stay calm. No mere river was about to defeat Estel!

Elrohir glanced back at the human, studying him as his brother did. The twins turned back to each other with grins that couldn't have gotten any wider.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He questioned and Elladan nodded, his grey eyes glittering.

"Aye." He replied and without a word, they both rushed towards the human.

Estel looked up when he heard the two elves splashing as they came towards him. He saw the mischievous glint in their eyes and he narrowed his eyes, taking the few steps out of the water hurriedly. He was not aware of the eyes of the rest of the group on his back.

"What are you two doing?" He questioned suspiciously as they came closer. When they did not stop, he growled, "Don't even think about trying anything!"

Suddenly, they bolted forward before Estel had a chance to move. The young human snarled and thrashed against the two elves as Elrohir grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back, grinning.

"Get off of me!" The man yelled, kicking out as the other Noldo elf approached from the front. Quickly, the ellon reached out and secured his feet, rendering the man completely immobile. He quickly understood what it was that they were about to do, "Don't you dare throw me in that water!" He cried but the twins heard nothing of it.

Amidst the laughter from their companions, the two hauled a screaming Estel back out into the river. They shared wide grins before swinging the human back and forth.

"One!" Elladan called.

"Two!" Elrohir laughed.

"No!"

"Three!" The twins laughed hysterically as the human flew through the air, his arms and legs flaying as if he were trying to fly. The laugher of the group was blocked momentarily by the splash and shrill scream as Estel resurfaced, curses spewing from his mouth.

"I will murder you both!" He cried, clenching his arms tight around his body. His teeth chattering, he hurried to the opposite shore line lest his foster brothers try it again, "It is so cold!" He pulled himself up onto land and shed his tunics, removing as much material as possible while still being decent.

"Oh, come now, Estel! You know it was fun!" Elrohir laughed. He was answered with a drenched tunic flying in his face. Elladan clutched his aching sides, his face turning purple from his mirth. Then, he quickly looked over his shoulder to judge the young prince's reaction to the situation. He frowned.

Legolas still sat with an emotionless face, staring into space as he caressed the falcon.

Elladan sighed, frowning softly, and turned to see his foster brother again. His eyes widened slightly and he nudged his brother sharply in the ribs, trying to still his laughter, "Elrohir, shut up for a minute." The Noldo elf bit his lips to keep from laughing and looked up at Estel. The grin was wiped clean off his face.

Two tall figures stood before the kneeling human, gazing down upon him with emotionless blue eyes. Sharply pointed ears poked out from underneath their silvery hair that reached down to their mid-backs and was fashioned in identical braids. They both had a slim yet muscular body and their faces were well chiseled, having prominent cheek bones and deep eyes. They were clad in silver-blue tunics and bright chain mail glistened brilliantly in the sun's rays. The only difference Estel could make between the two was that one's right eye seemed cloudy and discolored and the other had a short, white feather stuck behind his ear.

"Estel!" Elladan called, breaking the silence. The human did not respond, frozen to the spot, "Get up!" The Noldo elf sloshed through the water quickly, struggling as the current grew. The man leapt up from his spot on the ground and backed away nervously, the gaze of the two people never leaving him. The ellon clambered up onto the back and grabbed his foster brother's shoulder, yanking him away.

A screech erupted from the Peregrine Falcon and the two strangers looked over at her. Legolas's eyes widened when she spread her wings and flapped over to the two, landing once more upon one's outstretched arm. The group stood in bafflement at the display and looked upon the two beings with curiosity and suspicion.

"What do you want?" Elladan said quietly, as if he were afraid to speak. The two looked upon him, blinking. The ellon growled, "Speak!"

"And what would you have us say, my lord?" The one with the clouded eye questioned, his voice soft yet powerful and commanding. The ellon's mouth opened and closed, searching for the right answer. He was barely aware of his brother coming to stand beside him.

"A name would be most appreciated." The twin said, a little softer then his brother had spoken. He could feel the piercing gaze of his brother and the others on him, watching expectantly.

"I apologize, my lord." He said, "My name is Ricamros and this is my brother, Tarmikos." He motioned to the other male who inclined his head. Espenshade ruffled her feathers as the one holding her scratched her head gently with his fingers.

"What business have you here?"

"We were called upon to find you and bring you to Edhellond, my lord. Word of you and your companions have reached the ears of the Muruien and their king. We were sent as escorts to bring you the rest of the way." Elladan narrowed his eyes.

"And we are just supposed to accept you? How do we know we can trust you?" A smile formed upon Ricamros's lips and he looked to his brother. He smiled in return.

"Your falcon friend seems to trust us well enough." He answered, quirking an eyebrow at the Noldo elf.

"I would not put my fate in the hands of a mere creature such as her." Elladan retorted, crossing his arms, and earning himself a hiss from the 'mere creature', "We are not quick to trust those we come across in the wild anymore."

"Elladan, maybe we should-" Elrohir began softly but was quickly cut off.

"No!" The ellon shouted, "I will not have it!"

"Perhaps you will not but what about the rest of the group?" The twins nearly jumped when they heard Mithrandir's raspy voice behind them. They looked at him sharply, amusement growing in their eyes when they saw his drenched robes. The two silver-haired elves inclined their heads to him in respect but quickly righted themselves again.

"Greetings, my lord." Ricamros said. Tarmikos merely smiled. The old wizard bowed slightly at the waist.

"How may we be of service to you?" He questioned, "Would you care to join us and have a little something to eat?" The clearer eye of Ricamros lit up and he nodded eagerly.

"That would be very nice, thank you, my lord." He replied.

Before they knew it, the two newcomers were seated amongst the group in silence, hungrily gulping down their food. Arwen chuckled at their display, sitting down between Jaimea and the only human who was wrapped in an extra cloak. Espenshade had returned to her master's shoulder, eyeing the food as it was passed around and Legolas was chewing silently on a handful of berries. Mithrandir sat beside Ricamros, waiting patiently for them to finish their meal. The twins and princesses of Mirkwood were a little off to the side, conversing quietly yet enthusiastically.

Ricamros looked up from his food when he felt a pair of eyes on him. His eyes rested upon Jaimea and he gave her a charming smile, licking his lips clean from the juices of the food. She returned his smile with her own.

"May I ask you a question?" She said. Legolas looked over at her sharply, a pang of jealousy shooting through his heart. He scoffed at this feeling but never took his eyes off the elleth.

"You just did, my lady." He replied, grinning. A faint chuckle escaped her lips.

"Yes, well, I was wondering if you and your brother are twins, like Lords Elladan and Elrohir." Tarmikos smiled, not looking up at her.

"Aye, we are, my lady. Is it not obvious?" Ricamros answered. A faint blush spread across her cheeks and he returned to eating.

Jaimea furrowed her brow when she felt a pair of eyes boring into her. She turned quickly and her heart leapt when she found Legolas watching her intently. His eyes widened when he realized he was found out and he quickly returned to eating his berries, willing himself to keep from blushing. The elleth felt a warmth spread throughout her and she shivered slightly, then turned away.

The cloudy-eyed male set his plate down with a contented sigh, running his hands though his silver hair and giving his head a shake, "It seems like it has been forever since I had a meal that good. Thank you very much." He said, grinning once more.

"Alright, interrogation time." Elladan growled, storming away from the three he was with. Melyanna gritted her teeth.

"Elladan, calm down!" She called but he paid no attention to her. The Noldo elf sat down in front of the other pair of twins, glaring at them both. Tarmikos glanced at his brother with a quirked eyebrow, then looked at the ellon expectantly.

"First question." He said, "Are you of the Muruien?"

"Yes." Ricamros answered calmly, staring into the elf's eyes. No one said a word, only watching as the Noldo questioned the Muruien.

"What are your intentions?"

"Like I said, we were sent to find you and escort you back to Edhellond."

"Who sent you?"

"Our father."

"And who is he?"

A smirk slowly formed upon his lips, " The King of the Muruien lands."

Elladan was silenced by this question and his eyes widened. He glanced around at all of his companions who were in equal shock as he was. The ellon turned back to the twins, swallowing hard. Ricamros still had the smirk on his face.

"So you two are both princes?" He questioned and they both nodded. The dark haired elf looked to Tarmikos with a quirked brow, "And why do you not speak?" A frown set upon the Muru's lips and he turned to his brother, questioning him with his eyes. The cloudy-eyed Muru sighed and drew his knees up under his chin. He shut his eyes as if deep in thought.

"My brother does not speak because…" He paused, swallowing a lump in his throat, "Because his voice was taken away from him many years ago during an attack on the palace. His throat was nearly crushed by the attacker but our older brother was there to defend him, though he lost his life at a slash to the neck. It killed him instantly." The Muruien did not notice the group wince at this piece of information, "And so Tarmikos's ability to speak was stolen from him." The Muru prince turned to gaze at his silent brother, "It has been so long since I have heard his beautiful voice. I miss it." Tarmikos chewed on his lip, keeping his gaze downwards.

"How do you speak then?" Arwen asked, gazing at the two bothers with concern.

"Most of the time, he will simply write what it is he wants to say or he will use hand signals. But we have not yet fully developed that method."

Tarmikos made a single clicking sound with his tongue, catching his twin's attention. Ricamros quirked an eyebrow, "Hmm?" The silent elf pointed to his own right eye, then motioned to the rest of the group. The other Muru frowned, "Oh, right."

"What is it?" Elladan asked, his voice considerably softer.

"Well, I've revealed his fault to you and now he wants me to reveal mine." He answered, "Do you want to know?"

"Perhaps later." Mithrandir suddenly said, standing up slowly. The Muru looked up at him in curiosity, "But I feel we have lingered here too long. I think it would be best to keep up the pace. I am sure all of us look forward to a proper meal and a soft bed."

"But what of Iaurtondariel?" Lothron asked, "Couldn't we wait a bit longer? Maybe she will turn up."

"You know of Lady Iaurtondariel?" Ricamros asked, his brows raising, and the elleth nodded. He smiled, "I take it she was to be your guide." Another nod, "Then it surprises me that she is not here with you now. It is not like her to break her promises. Where is she?"

"We do not know." Elladan said, "We woke up to find her missing."

The Muru Prince frowned and looked down to the ground, nodding, "I see." He didn't say anything else.

"So what are we to do?" Estel asked, turning towards the wizard.

"Well, Lady Lothron does have a point there but I am not familiar with this land. I feel uncomfortable staying in one place too long."

Suddenly, Tarmikos leapt into an enthusiastic wave of hand motions with a glare on his face. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, then glanced over to Ricamros expectantly. The Muru stared at his brother intently with a furrowed brow, struggling to decipher his quick hand movements.

"I think he is agitated that the Istar thinks this place unsafe. There is nothing to fear here." The silent prince stopped as suddenly as he had started and nodded once with a scowl on his face. Arwen chuckled softly behind her hand.

"Well, if he is absolutely sure no harm will come to us," Mithrandir squinted his eyes, looking back from where they came, "I suppose we could stay for a little bit longer." A triumphant smirk formed upon the prince's face.

Everyone eagerly returned to their previous conversations, leaving the two Muruien to themselves. Elladan stood up, giving them both smiles, and then returned to his brother. Tarmikos gave his brother a sidelong glance and the other shrugged. They gazed around at the companions, studying each one intently. They saw the other set of twins trying to bring smiles to their lady friends' lips but were, so far, unsuccessful. The wizard had returned to smoking his pipe and the human was still trying to warm up. Another elleth with dark tresses and blue eyes sat next to him and another lighter elleth. Next, they found the golden haired ellon with the Peregrine Falcon on his knee.

"Do you think we should talk to him? He seems upset." Ricamros suggested quietly, leaning over to the other Muru. Tarmikos shrugged, pointing at the ellon and then at his throat, "I know he is still upset about his brother. But shouldn't we still talk to him?" The silent Muru shook his head quickly, mouthing the words, 'Not yet.'

"Fine." Ricamros said, standing, "But we aren't going to sit around and do nothing. Come on." Tarmikos leapt to his feet as his brother headed towards the group of four.

"Come, Lothron, smile for me." Elrohir cooed, touching his lover's lips with his fingers. The princess only looked away from him, "Please?"

"Yes, you cannot be frowning for ever. The pain of his passing will diminish in time." Elladan added, putting his arm around Melyanna's shoulders.

"You two do not understand." The younger princess said, leaning into the ellon's embrace, "We have lost more then you have over the years and we will never truly be able to overcome the pain. Besides, how would you feel if your brother or sister was killed?"

The two identical ellons looked between each other sadly. The idea of loosing each other sent a pang of grief through their hearts. Elrohir gave his twin a brief reassuring smile, as if saying that it would never happen to them, then placed a kiss on Lothron's cheek. Elladan rested his head on the younger princess's shoulder and sighed softly, gazing over at his sister.

"We are not interrupting you, are we?" Ricamros asked them, startling the ellons, and the Muruien sat down. The elves stared at them in both curiosity and suspicion, not completely sure of the intent of the brothers. The princesses shook their heads and lost themselves in their own thoughts once more. Tarmikos shuffled anxiously, biting his lip, and trying to come up with some conversation. The other Muru watched him out of the corner of his eye, smirking at the discomfort his brother was in.

The silent Muru reached up to grab the feather that was tucked behind his ear and pulled it out. He patted around his legs, as if looking for something, then finally pulled out a wrinkled piece of parchment from a concealed pocket. Ricamros quickly grabbed his wrist, shaking his head.

"No, we need to practice with the hand signals." He said and the other Muru scowled, crossing his arms after replacing the parchment and feather, "Now what would you like to say?"

He motioned to the two ellons, pointing back and forth between the two, and then pointed to himself and his brother. He did this once more before the cloudy-eyed Muru nodded.

"He wants to know if you are twins, too." He said and the silent Muru nodded. Elladan chuckled.

"Aye, that is correct." A grin spread across Tarmikos's lips and he launched into another display of hand motions. When he finished, Ricamros laughed out loud, earning him some curious looks from the others as if they had never heard such a noise.

"He asks if you ever cause mischief at your home." He translated, grinning.

Identical grins spread across the Noldorin elves' faces. Lothron and Melyanna groaned, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"This journey is just about to get longer." The older princess muttered, hanging her head. Her sister could only nod.

The four males then proceeded to jump into an animated conversation, laughing about previous pranks and commending each other on the brilliance of some perfectly schemed joke. The two Mirkwood princesses sent each other desperate glances, both of them sighing. Melyanna watched as Tarmikos mouthed his words and signaled with his hands, actively involved in the chatter. She wondered how he was able to get his point across with only a few simple hand movements that even she could decipher at times.

A tug on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Lothron had stood, motioning for her to follow. She complied eagerly, leaping up from her spot to sit some where more peaceful.

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Time passed them by without anyone ever noticing it. The arrival of the new twins brought laughter and happiness from the normally gloomy company. They did not realize the sun slowly setting on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Birds flocked to their roosts for the night and the chirping of grasshoppers took their place. A small fire had been started once again and the flames licked hungrily at the dry tinder. The two sets of twins still sat huddled together, talking quietly.

Legolas sat perfectly still with his eyes gazing into the flickering fire. He was barely aware of Espenshade perched on his shoulder, picking at his golden locks. Sadness and regret had built itself up in his heart and stomach and it made him feel ill. Out of the corners of his eyes, he glanced at each member of the group. He noticed that his sisters were still silent and he sensed grief emanating from them. He longed to go to them and comfort them while being comforted by them in return but a part of him kept him rooted to the spot. He had no will to get up or to simply speak.

He was glad that some of them found joy in the two Muruien but he did not feel that joy as they did. For him, Norui's death was still too near and he still felt lost, alone, and useless.

Estel's advice kept running circles in his head and he wished, secretly, that he would heed it. But his pride would not allow him to. Deep inside, he knew that he was the one who should apologize but what else? What else was he to say to the elleth? He knew that if he had been in her position, he probably would never forgive himself.

'Of course, I don't forgive myself even now.' He scoffed mentally, flicking a small stone with his finger and sent it flying into the fire. He sighed heavily and drew his knees up to his chest, resting his head in his arms. Espenshade chirped softly, nuzzling into his neck. Legolas smiled slightly, 'At least, I still have you.'

The only human in the group watched his elven friend shield his face within his arms. A frown set upon his lips, his ears drifting from the conversation at hand. His heart went out to elf for he, too, knew the pain of loosing family. He had only been two when his father was slain by an orc arrow to the eye but he still remembered it. His mother, Gilrean, cried for many days and she told him that he would not understand his father's death. But he understood perfectly well.

He looked back to Arwen briefly, who was talking to Jaimea, and then stood, walking over to the golden haired prince. He felt the elleth's gaze on his back as he left but she did not say anything.

Legolas heard footsteps approaching and he immediately knew it was Estel. He sighed, knowing what it was that he wanted to speak about. He did not look up when he heard the man sit down beside him. The Peregrine Falcon continued chewing on the elf's hair while watching the two Muru curiously.

"Why don't you join us, Legolas?" The man asked, smiling. The prince did not answer, only shrugging, "You should get to know them. After all, you are all princes. Perhaps you can exchange military tactics or excuses to get out of princely duties." He added, grinning. His face fell when the ellon didn't even acknowledge him and he sighed, "Do you remember what I told you that night?"

"Yes, I do remember, Estel." Legolas replied in a monotone voice, "And no, I have not taken action on your advice. I know that nothing will come out of it."

"But at least you would know that you tried."

"And then what? Accept whatever happens?" He scoffed, "I do not deserve to be forgiven or helped. I should have been there for him like he always was for me."

"Legolas, how many times must we tell you that it was not your fault? You were protecting the one who needed you more. There are far worse things then death, you know." The ellon tensed and managed a stiff nod.

"I know." Estel gazed at his friend for the longest time, not saying a word. His eyes drifted over to his foster brothers who were laughing with the newcomers. The princesses were chuckling softly at something Arwen had said and Jaimea was sitting beside Mithrandir, talking quietly and smiling. The human then turned back to Legolas and frowned.

"You are slowly drifting away, Legolas, while everyone else moves forward. I know it hurts now but over time, you will come to accept it. Just don't forget what I told you." He said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Do not grieve for their death but celebrate for their life."

"Estel?" The prince whispered, "Why must we love? Why must we love if loosing hurts so much?" The man sighed, stepping away.

"We love to know that we are not alone."

A single tear slipped down the ellon's cheek as the human walked away in silence. He mentally berated himself for crying but he could not stop himself. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

'I know Estel is right.' He told himself, his shoulders shaking, 'But I am too weak to do anything about it.' He looked over his arm at the group, taking them all in. His heart tightened in his chest when he saw Jaimea, still sitting beside the old wizard. He wanted more then anything to speak to her again; to hear her voice and hold her in his arms.

A cool breeze suddenly swept by him and leaves swished around his feet. His hair whipped wildly around his face and he lifted his head, gazing around. No one else seemed effected by it. The cold air invaded his sense and he took a deep breath, inhaling its freshness. But as soon as it had came, the wind stopped and everything returned to normal.

But the prince felt as if a new strength had entered his body; a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He sat tall with his head held high and Espenshade quirked her head at this transformation. She chirped quietly.

Quickly, Legolas came to his feet and, surprised at his sudden movement, the falcon flapped her wings vigorously to keep her balance on his shoulder. A few stopped what they were doing and watched as the golden haired ellon strode over to the elleth beside the old Istar.

A grin spread across Estel's lips when he saw the elf extend out his hand to Jaimea. Arwen's eyes widened and she gripped onto the man's arm, waiting anxiously to see her reaction. The blonde elleth stared at his hand for a moment, then his face, and back to his hand. Relief washed through Estel's and Arwen's bodies when she placed her hand in his own and he pulled her to her feet. Without any words, the two elves strode from the camp and disappeared in the dark.

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Jaimea's heart beat wildly in her heart and she was sure the ellon beside her could hear it pound. What did he want? She could not keep from shaking as they walked further and further from camp. Only when the fire was a small ember in the distance did the prince stop.

Suddenly, Legolas grabbed the elleth's shoulders, turning her to face him. Jaimea's eyes widened and she gasped when he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle yet sorrowful kiss. Her body went numb for a few moments but anger quickly took over. A glare set on her face and she growled, shoving him away roughly. Espenshade screeched at these quick movements and quickly darted away to find a different perch.

"What are you doing!" She hissed with venom in her voice. The prince dropped to his knees quickly as if his legs had given out from beneath him. His shoulders began to rack with soft sobs and he hung his head. All anger diminished from the elleth's body and she quickly dropped down to his level, placing her hands on his shoulders, "Please, Legolas, I am sorry! I just-"

"No, Jaimea." Legolas whispered, looking up into her eyes, "Do not apologize for you have done no wrong. I just…oh, I don't know." He fell into silence as he tried to catch his breath.

"Legolas?" Jaimea whispered, "What is it?"

Slowly, the prince took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing each palm softly. Jaimea bit her lips nervously, waiting for what he was planning to say. Have of her wanted to run from him right then but another part of her greatly desired to hear what it was he had kept hidden.

"Jaimea." He began softly, slowly getting over his tears, "Jaimea, I am so sorry for what I said to you that night. I was so overcome with grief that it did not register to me what I was saying. It was not your fault Norui was killed, there was nothing any of us could have done. The Valar decided that it was his time to go."

He squeezed her hands gently and he moved closer to her. The elleth's eyes glittered with apprehension.

"Maybe I went overboard to prove a point but sometimes my pride gets in the way." He stroked his thumbs over her knuckles, "I may never get to hold your hands again."

The ellon swallowed a lump in his dry throat.

"I love you."

Jaimea's ears began to ring at those words and a chill washed down her spine, causing her to shiver. She began increasingly aware of the warmth of his hands and she swallowed hard. Her glistening eyes met his and a smile graced her lips.

"I love you, too." She whispered breathily and Legolas's eyes widened.

"You do?" He gasped softly and the elleth chuckled. A faint blush spread across his cheeks and he smiled sheepishly.

"Aye, I do, my prince." She replied, nodding. The prince felt his heart skip a beat as he grinned. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find the correct words. Finally, he sighed and smiled.

"Good." Jaimea laughed, flinging herself into the ellon's arms. He gave a soft yelp as he was pushed onto his back, the elleth still laughing as she straddled his waist. He looked up at her with surprised eyes and she grinned down at him, her chocolate eyes sparkling. Legolas noticed the flickers from the fireflies around them twinkled in her eyes and he couldn't help but smile lovingly at her.

"You do mean it this time though, don't you?" She asked quietly. The ellon frowned, reaching up to caress her cheek with his knuckles.

"I have always loved you." He replied, "But I was blinded by inexperience and nervousness." A chuckle escaped her lips and she leaned down to him, brushing her lips over his, "But!" He said quickly, tilting his head away. The elleth sat up slightly, looking into his eyes, "I think we should take things slower, if you understand. We were rushing before and I'd like to do things properly, if you don't mind." He grinned sheepishly and she nodded, smiling.

"I understand." She said, "But that does not mean that I can't kiss you, right?" A deep chuckle sounded in his throat and he smirked.

"By all means, be my guest. Just keep it 'innocent'." He added with a wink. Jaimea blushed furiously and slapped the ellon's shoulder playfully, earning herself a cheerful laugh.

"That was all you and you know it, you immature elf!" She exclaimed.

"Oh yes, place the blame on me! It's not like you were the one who started it in the first place." He retorted, his grin widening, then muttered, "Evil elleth."

"Oh, Legolas, I've missed you!" The elleth laughed before bending down and claiming his lips. His body froze for a mere second before his arms fell limp at his sides, his eyes fluttering closed. He mumbled something against her lips but it was left indistinguishable.

When she came up a few moments later, she had to bite her lips to keep from laughing out loud at his comical appearance. His eyes were half lidded and a goofy smile was plastered on his lips. The tips of his ears were completely red while the rest of his face was still pale. Jaimea quirked an eyebrow when a giggle-like noise escaped his lips.

"I've missed you, too."

"Well, I am very sorry to interrupt this little reunion." Someone said a few feet away and both elves sprung up to a sitting position, eyes wide. Their faces paled when they saw the Muruien brothers and Imladris twins grinning down at them evilly.

Before they knew it, elleth and ellon found themselves flying through the air and splashing into the freezing waters of the river Ringlo with only the laughter of the company to block out their screams.

**XXXXX**

**YAY! Look how quickly I got this out! And look how long it is! It took up sixteen pages in MS Word! Hehe! And, for once, I am happy with the chapter! Yay! I am so happy now! Thanks to all of you who reviewed and I look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter:D And I'm sure you are thinking, "MORE characters! Jeez!" And I agree with you completely! They were going to be put in eventually anyways but I thought, "Hmm, my muses have left me. What to do…what to do…oh! I know! More characters! Yes!" So I went to a D&D website, generated some names and ta-da! Ricamros and Tarmikos! Yay! (Geez, add those to my list…) By the way, wouldn't it be funny to see Legolas and the twins up on stage, performing Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life'? Um, hehe. I'm listening to that right now and it just popped into my head. Hehe. **

**Oh, by the way, have you guys seen the trailer for POTC II? It looks hilarious! You gotta check it out! **

**Okay, that's about it. Thanks for reading and REVIEWING! (hint hint!) Wow, look at the time… 12:02 AM. Um, hehe. I've been typing for approximately sixteen hours! (With some breaks, of course.) **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	37. A Green Fletched Arrow

**Mmm, I gots a banana! Hehe! I hate bananas, too! But I like pineapple… yea, that stuff is good. But not the chunks…those are icky. Cut it right from the pineapple! Aaah, yes, delicious. Okay, I'm done. Oh, and I'm listening to Bon Jovi again::imagines the elf lords rockin' up on stage: Ehehe… **

**This banana tastes weird.**

**XX**

Chapter 37- A Green Fletched Arrow

Tarmikos shot up quickly, his eyes darting this way and that. Everyone else had fallen asleep hours ago yet his mind would not stop thinking. He didn't feel fear, of course, but he couldn't stop thinking of things that were completely irrelevant to the current situation.

'When are we going to go home?' He thought, 'How many more hours until dawn?'

Things like this kept him awake for the good part of the night and finally, he gave up on sleep. His blue eyes gazed around at everyone's unmoving form and he sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He stood up slowly, stretching languidly. A yawn escaped his lips as he ran his fingers through his silver hair. He looked up to the sky and saw that the moon was almost in the center of the sky. He groaned.

'We still have a while.' He muttered in his mind. He strode forward him his sleeping mat, stepping over everyone carefully as he went. His eyes glanced over his brother who was sleeping with his limbs spread about wildly. A smirk graced his lips and he turned his attentions to the river.

Its cool water appealed to him and he couldn't help but move towards it, tossing his tunic aside. He deftly removed the braids from his hair and shook his head, letting his locks fly wildly around his face. He knew, subconsciously, that the water would be freezing cold and unbearable but something like that would not stop him from a refreshing dip.

Just as he was about to step into the water, a short chirp sounded behind him and he turned his head sharply. He could make out two glowing eyes watching him from the darkness. He rolled his eyes.

'Espenshade...' He thought, sighing. He motioned with his hand for her to come and she leapt off her perch, soaring through the air silently before landing on his outstretched arm. He winced slightly when her talons dug into his flesh but he did not push her away. Tarmikos opened his mouth as if he were to speak but he quickly closed it again. The Peregrine falcon quirked her head in an almost comical way, causing a grin to form on the Muru's lips, 'If only I could speak to you as I once did.'

"My lord?" A soft and sleepy voice called from behind him. The Muru prince looked over his shoulder slowly and was met with the eyes of the Mirkwood prince. He smiled weakly at him, then turned back around to face the water. His ears picked up the elf's silent approach but he kept his gaze forward. He could sense nervousness mingled with curiosity in his presence.

Legolas came to stand beside him, watching the Muru out of the corner of his eye. It unnerved him, knowing that this being was of the same race who held his father under its spell. A sense of suspicion swept over him but he quickly pushed it aside, knowing that this prince was nothing to fear.

"Do you know Espenshade from somewhere?" The ellon questioned softly, not looking at him. Tarmikos nodded slowly, his eyes wandering over the sparkling water. He longed to speak with the ellon but the idea was always shot down at the thought of his forced silence, "Can you speak at all?"

Tarmikos quirked his brow and glanced at the elf. Legolas looked at him expectantly. Finally, the Muru sighed and held up his hand, pinching his thumb and forefinger until there was only a small space between them. Then, must to the golden haired prince's amusement, the silver haired Muru grabbed his own throat and made a gagging motion. The ellon laughed quietly, grinning, and he nodded.

"I see. That is alright." He said, looking back out to the water again. The two princes sat in comfortable silence, both enjoying each other's presence. The moon's light danced off the clear waters of the Ringlo and the grasses blew gently in the crisp wind. A shiver shot down the Muru's spine and he searched in the darkness for his tunic. All desire to swim in the water had left his mind and all he wanted to do was be warm again.

Legolas watched as the Muru scrambled in the dark, searching for his clothing. A soft chuckle escaped his lips when Espenshade hissed in annoyance, then leapt off his shoulder and landed on the ellon's. The prince smiled gently, stroking the falcon's breast with his forefinger. He glanced back to Tarmikos and found, much to his confusion, that he was glaring with steely eyes at him. The golden haired elf quirked his brow and took a tentative step back.

"What is it?" He questioned quietly so as not to wake the others. But just as quick as it appeared, the hard glare on the Muru's face cleared and he smiled pleasantly, shaking his head. He then bent down to the ground and picked up his tunic, then slipped it quickly over his head. He ignored the odd look Legolas was giving him as he straightened out his hair. He gave the elf one last smile before returning to his bed roll.

The elf continued to watch the Muru with confusion in his eyes. Espenshade cackled softly from his shoulder, pecking at his braids. When the other prince had sat down and began fingering his knife carefully, the ellon slowly headed back to his own sleeping mat. But not before casting his gaze on the elleth that slept beside him.

A smile spread across his lips as he watched the elleth's chest rise and fall steadily with her breathing and her golden hair that spread around her face like a halo. He bent down slowly and quietly, then reached out of stroked her cheek gently with his knuckles. A soft sigh escaped her lips and Legolas froze, waiting to see if she would wake from her slumber. When she settled again, the prince took his hand away and kissed her chastely on the cheek.

"Sleep well." He whispered, then cast himself down upon his soft bed roll.

Tarmikos continued to trace his finger along the blunt edge of his knife until he sensed the ellon drift off into oblivion. He waited a moment longer, holding his breath, then finally leapt up. The blade was dropped, forgotten, onto the ground. Espenshade perked up at the sudden movement and turned to look at him with curious eyes. A smile spread across the Muru's lips and he stretched out his arm. The falcon spread her wings and glided silently over to him, then began picking at his tunic once she landed.

A soft tap on her back made her look up at him once more and he held her gaze with his own. A silent message was passed between the two yet the falcon still understood his command. Like a shadow in the night, Espenshade leapt from her perch and soared into the air, soon disappearing from the Muru's sight and into the darkness.

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Tears ran down her face yet she made no noise. Her arms were wrapped around the lifeless ellon's body and her face was buried in his chest. The darkness no longer seemed to bother her as she tried to find comfort in the one she knew would never be able to give it to her.

Many hours had passed yet she did not notice it. No sun filtered into the underground room so she could not tell how long it was she was imprisoned. Nor did she care. The only thing that registered in her mind was that Norui was there with her yet, at the same time, so far away.

The iron door creaked and Iaurtondariel looked up at the intruder. She grimaced when an ugly looking goblin grinned devilishly at her from the doorway. A snicker escaped his scaly lips when she dropped her head back down the rock floor.

"I see you 'ave made a friend, eh?" He questioned, his voice harsh and nasally. The elleth gritted her teeth as she tried to block out the creature's words, "Don't worry, she-elf, you'll join 'im soon enough. Now, get up!" He commanded but Iaurtondariel paid no heed to him. A growl escaped his throat and he stalked forward.

The elf hissed in pain when his spidery fingers twisted around in her hair. He savagely pulled her away from the ellon and she wondered when she had become so weak as to allow this creature to pull her around. But as much as she tried, she could not find the strength to resist him. Her watery eyes did not leave Norui's body as she was dragged out of the cell and down a torch-lit passageway.

It did not occur to her how long she was pulled down the hard, rough corridor. She only took in her surroundings when she heard the chatter of her captors in an approaching room. She looked away quickly from the disgusting sight of the creatures and concentrated her sights on the large room she had been brought to. Two large pillars stood in the center of the cavern where lichen grew up the sides. Busted chairs and kegs containing some substance the elleth did not want to know about were scattered along the walls, as if the creatures were actually sophisticated enough to use them. Swarms of the insect-like goblins were strewn throughout the area, chattering and snickering loudly to each other.

But there was only one thing in that room that truly caught Iaurtondariel's attention.

High above the heads of the creatures was a large hole in the wall where light filtered in from the outside. A crisp and refreshing air ran into the stifling cave and the elleth felt her senses rejuvenated when they passed though it. She noticed that the goblins seemed to stay away from that one area of the cavern.

She found her heart had lifted at the feel of the warm sun on her skin and her will suddenly returned to her body. The desire to kill the horrible creatures flooded her senses once more.

Iaurtondariel growled, kicking the legs out from underneath the one who carried her. The goblins screeched in surprise when he fell to the floor only to have his own dagger driven into his heart. The goblins stood in shock for a moment, watching as the once frail elleth righted herself, brushing her hair out of her eyes. The goblin's dagger glittered dangerously in her hand, blood dripping from its point.

But chaos soon ensued.

All at once, the creatures leapt at her and she did not hesitate in fighting back. It did not occur to her how badly she was outnumbered. All she concentrated on was hack, slash, slice. Hack, slash, slice. Her body moved unguided amidst the swarms in a deadly dance that was sure to lead to her own death. But she was determined to avenge the death of her companion.

The goblins screeched at the amazing techniques she displayed as her blade cut through all that came near. They could see a fire in her eyes that made them cower in fear. But they were not about to be outdone by a mere elleth.

Larger goblins spewed forward, shoving into her viciously. Iaurtondariel drove the blade deep into the chest of the twisted creature in front of her, then quickly turned to the next one before her victim even hit the ground. She was not aware of two other beasts creeping up behind her.

Her head snapped back when there was a massive tug on her hair. She cried out as she lost her balance, sending her sprawling to the ground. Immediately, the creatures leapt upon her as she struggled to regain her feet. Unfortunately, they had her pinned to the rocky floor without any hope of getting up again.

"You fight well." One of the larger goblins growling, looking down at her with distaste, "But your little escapade will not be ignored."

Iaurtondariel could only glare up at him, her chest heaving.

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The elves winced as another shrill whistle cut through the air. They all glared at the creator of the noise, grumbling under their breath. Ever since he had awoken, Legolas had been calling desperately for the Peregrine Falcon nonstop. And, though they said nothing, the rest of the group was ready to rip out his vocal cords.

"Espenshade!" The blonde haired ellon called into the wind, hoping that his beloved falcon would appear on the horizon and swoop down onto his shoulder. But this wish never came true, even as the day passed on and he continued searching. Even as midday had approached them, he had not silenced.

They had decided to rest for a few moments before they set off again. A few pulled out a little something to chew at while others were contented to talk quietly to one another.

"I am about ready to throw a rock at his head." Elladan muttered, clamping his hands over his ears. Elrohir merely nodded, then winced when another whistle split his ears. The Imladris twins noticed that Tarmikos was busy tracing patterns in the dirt while his own brother seemed to be as annoyed as they were.

"Is he deaf, too?" Elrohir commented dryly, trying to block out the shrill sound. He received his answer when the mentioned Muru's head shot up with a deadly glare on his face.

"He is merely ignoring the elf's maddening calls." Ricamros answered for his brother, giving the ellon an identical glare. They sat in silence for a moment longer, before he spoke once again, "Why do you ridicule one who cannot speak for himself? Does it give you a sense of power, my lord?"

"That is not what I intended." The younger of the two elves replied defensively. The glare did not leave the Muru's face.

"And would you insult me if you knew my own ailment?" He questioned, his voice growing deeper and more powerful. But the ellon was never one to back down from a challenge.

"That depends on the severity of the weakness." He growled, "And how it would effect us."

"Elrohir, be silent!" Elladan hissed, squeezing his brother on the shoulder. The elf did not pay attention to the warning, only boring his gaze into the Muru's. He did not notice Tarmikos shaking his head in exasperation and rolling his eyes.

"Why do you think my eye is as it is?"

"Perhaps it is another one of your abnormalities that your kind seems to carry."

Elrohir jolted forward when the other ellon clubbed him in the back of the head with his fist, gritting his teeth. His hissed softly, rubbing his aching head and ignoring the feeling of eyes gazing at him in annoyance.

"Watch what you say, brother!" The other ellon spat, truly repulsed at his brother's words. The younger Noldo elf sent Elladan a brief apologetic look before drawing his knees up to his chest and shielding his face. Uncomfortable silence reigned in their small group, each confused by the argument while thoroughly annoyed at the constant noise in the background, "Lord Ricamros, could you please explain to us why your eye is clouded as it is?" The older elf questioned, trying to bring peace back to the four. The Muru glanced at him briefly.

"Why should I reveal more information about myself while knowing that it will be judged harshly?" He muttered, brushing his silver hair back over his shoulder. Elladan merely sighed and looked down to the grass, pulling at the thin blades with his fingers.

"Prince Legolas Thranduilion!" Mithrandir bellowed suddenly, causing everyone to jump, "If you do not stop that insufferable noise, you will find yourself on the receiving end of my staff!"

The company fought back their laughter at the sight of the pale face of the golden haired prince.

"We continue on!" The wizard called, his face red from annoyance. One by one, the companions clambered to their feet and followed quickly after the chagrined Istar, none wanting to incur his wrath further.

Elladan watched as the Muruien twins followed the others' example and came to their feet. Tarmikos strode ahead of his brother, never looking back at the ellyn. Ricamros glanced at the elves with a sigh, slinging his pack over his shoulders.

"The same night Tarmikos was robbed of his voice, I was robbed of my sight." He began in a sorrowful voice. The twins' eyes widened with shock, "My left eye is alright but I am completely blind in my right." And without another word, he glided swiftly away from the Noldor elves.

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Turwaithiel glared at the back of the one she followed further and further into the dense forest. Uhako walked silently beside her, eyeing the surroundings warily and uncomfortably. The air was suffocating and thick, making it more difficult to breathe the further they went. Eruko showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, so the maiden just crossed her arms with a snort. The creature smirked at her annoyance and finally came to a halt, turning to watch the two behind him. Both man and woman stopped quickly, their hands going instinctively to their knives at their belts. Eruko cackled.

"Still untrusting, I see." He commented, striding towards them. He lifted one long finger and trailed it slowly down Turwaithiel's cheek, sending a shiver down her spine. His smirk widened to a grin when she slapped him away. His skin was cold to the touch and felt as if it would freeze her own skin, "When will you learn, my lady Turwaithiel? Lord Uhako?" When they did not respond, a snicker escaped his hidden lips and he continued on.

"I do not like him one bit." Uhako muttered after a while, "Not at all."

"You are not the only one who wishes he would be swallowed up by the earth." Turwaithiel replied just as quietly, "What bothers me most is that I cannot see him, even when he is right in front of my eyes. It is as if his whole body is but a shadow."

"I do not like it when he touches you." The man grunted, crossing his arms. She smirked at him.

"Jealous of a shadow, are you?" He only rolled his eyes in response. Turwaithiel frowned, "I do not like it either, Uhako, but you know as well as I do what would happen if I tried to stop him." The man turned to look at her, his lips tight, and he nodded grimly.

"Aye, I do."

"If you two are done whispering," Eruko broke into their conversation, "You should know that we have arrived at our destination." Glares formed on the faces of the two following at the creature but he only shook it off with a grin, though they could not see it.

Before them stood the wide and uninviting mouth of a twisting cavern. Their eyes could not pierce the blackness that inhabited it, despite the candles that flickered dimly in its depths. They followed Eruko hesitantly into the dark, their hands tightly intertwined so as not to lose sight of one another. From seemingly out of no where, a flame leapt up from a torch the creature carried. Their hearts nearly leapt into their throat when a black, savage wolf leapt at them viciously, its teeth bared. A short chain attached to a collar that dug into its neck was the only thing that kept it from them. Its teeth gleamed dangerously in the flickering light as it howled and snarled at them. The two quickly hurried by to the undisturbed Eruko. The creature's barking continued and echoed off the rock walls.

The cloaked figure came to a halt when they entered a larger room. A few words escaped his lips and light sprung from various torches lining the walls. He stuck the torch he carried in an empty holder on the wall, then turned to Turwaithiel and Uhako, smiling.

"So, what news do you bring me, my faithful servants?" He questioned, rubbing his hands together; grayish scales replaced skin on his long fingers, "Have you completed what I sent you out to accomplish?"

"We did as you ordered, my lord." Turwaithiel answered monotonously, inclining her head, "You should have no problem from those wretched elflings." Eruko's lips turned up to reveal sharply pointed teeth and he ran his tongue over the tips.

"Ah, that is good to hear but you spare the details! Come! Tell me what my servants have done to dispatch the creatures." Uhako snorted softly, turning his head away but the hooded being paid no attention to him.

"What do you wish to know, my lord? I did exactly as you ordered." She replied simply. Eruko frowned.

"Are you sure that they have been properly taken care of? I am weak as it is- I will not deny that fact- and I cannot have any more interferences in my feeding."

Both Uhako and Turwaithiel flinched at the word 'feeding'. They knew quite well what he meant and who he was feeding on. But, even if they did do his evil work, they never felt the need to prey on other beings so like themselves. They would kill at the first order, yes, but never had they tasted the blood of another person, be it elf, Muru, or man.

"That princeling was stronger then I imagined, though." He continued, leaning against the wall, "He drained me of much of my strength, so much so that I am finding it difficult still to overtake their minds. But it will not be long before that sorry excuse for an elven realm to crumble. Their king will succumb to my power and those left will be leaderless and divided."

Uhako listened on in disgust as his master continued on about his plans. It was never his own choice to aid him in this task. He once had a life and he was happy, a good man, but a debt had to be repaid to the creature he now served. And Eruko was not one to forget what was owed.

"Are you listening, Uhako?" The creature questioned suddenly, catching the Muru off guard. Uhako glanced between him and his lady, panic in his eyes, "It appears not." The hooded being slurred as he slid over to Turwaithiel, once again tracing his scaly finger down her cheek and neck, "I suppose we will have to learn to curb yo tention, won't we?" Uhako's blood boiled and it took all his strength not to kill him right there. The creature always knew right where to strike to make it hurt most. The scowl on the Muru's face made Eruko smirk and he stepped away from the maiden.

"But there is more, my lord." Turwaithiel broke in, glaring at the creature. He quirked his eyebrow and looked at her curiously.

"Oh? And what is that?" He questioned, moving closer. Uhako watched them both suspiciously.

"We passed a couple scouts not far from the border of the forest, speaking in hushed voices." She paused, him watching her expectantly, "It is said that the remaining princes of the King rode from the forest with no escorts, in search of a large party. They plan to aid them in their task." A snort sounded form Eruko and he turned away, pacing around the small area.

"Those spoiled whelps?" He sneered, "They are no threat to me. It is a shame I was not able to finish what I started those many years ago."

"But there is more, my lord." She continued. He motioned for her to go on but she shook her head, motioning for him to come closer. He did so without hesitation and she leaned in close.

Uhako strained his ears to hear what they spoke of but they were too careful. He wondered briefly how Turwaithiel could stand to be so close to such a creature. A sharp hiss escaped Eruko's lips and he stormed off, resuming his pacing angrily.

"Preposterous!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air, "The traitor vanished in the Wild many years ago." The male Muru coughed to cover up his snicker at the creature's use of 'traitor'. He went unnoticed.

"I know what I saw, my lord." The lady said.

Eruko leaned against the wall, his chest heaving with anger. His grey eyes flashed anxiously though the two did not see them, concealed by his cloak. The muscles in his contorted legs twitched and his toes dug into the shallow dusting of dirt on the ground. His hands gripped onto the rock wall, so tightly that little bits of the rock broke and fell to the ground with a resonating sound.

"How is that possible?" He breathed but they did not answer. They knew better then to further provoke their master's wrath, "Why now? Why must that- that- sorry excuse for a Muru return now!"

"She traveled with the company, my lord. My guess is she seeks to aid them as well."

"Well, then we must prevent that." He pushed himself away from the wall and sauntered over to them, "You must leave once more, my servants. It does not matter if her companions live of not, you must prevent her from entering this forest.

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Noon turned into night, and night into morning before they knew it. But there was still no sign of the Peregrine Falcon and the golden haired prince found himself falling even deeper into despair. A cold feeling overtook his body and every step felt like agony on his muscles. The sense of being alone was driving the ellon mad. Jaimea walked beside him in silence, shifting uncomfortably under the tension.

"Do not worry, Legolas, she will come back." The elleth assured him, smiling slightly. He kept his eyes downward, "She always has, right?"

"Yes." He answered softly, shrugging, "Bu never been more then a day."

"Maybe she is hunting." The prince gave her a dubious look and she fell silent. Jaimea racked her brain for another topic to bring up, one that might possibly lift the prince's spirit. Suddenly, a smile came upon her face, "Did I ever tell you that your naneth talked to me one night?" Just as she had hoped, the elf lifted his head quickly with wide eyes.

"She came to you, as well?" He questioned, "When? What did she say?" The elleth's smile widened.

"Why should I tell you this?" She teased, "Perhaps it was meant for me only." Legolas's eyes seemed to bulge out of his head.

"You must tell me! I want to know." The elleth shrugged with a grin.

"Whining will get you nothing, my prince." The prince stuck his lip out in a pout and crossed his arms. She patted his cheek playfully, then went silent again with a smile upon her face.

"Can you at least answer something?" He asked after a while and she shrugged.

"Perhaps." She replied and he scowled playfully.

"Well, did you see…?" He trailed off, giving her a meaningful look. The elleth knew instantly what he wanted to know and she frowned, looking down to the grass. Legolas did not say anything, waiting patiently for her answer though, in his mind, he knew what the answer would be.

"I am sorry, Legolas, but no. I did not see your brother." The joy was wiped off the golden haired prince's face and he nodded solemnly. The elleth bit her lip, moving closer to him, "But I do have good news: I did not see your Ada either."

It took a moment for the ellon to realize the meaning of that statement but when he did, a huge smile split across his face.

"Then he is still alive."

Jaimea nodded, still smiling. He gazed lovingly at the elleth and kissed her cheek, grateful for this new hope.

He looked positively bored, Estel noted as he watched the silent Muru walk beside him. He dragged his feet during each step and his arms hung loosely at his sides. His blue eyes were half veiled by his eyelids and he yawned constantly. The human bit his lip in thought.

"Lord Tarmikos?" He called, glancing up at the prince. He noticed with some annoyance that he stood almost a head taller then him. But the silver haired Muru did not respond. For a moment, the man wondered if he had fallen asleep on his feet but his lazy yawning told him otherwise, "My lord?"

A yawn. Estel grumbled.

"TARMIKOS!" Birds cried out in fear as they hurried away from their perches in the trees and everyone stopped in their tracks. The Muru Prince grimaced at the shout and he glared sharply at the man. He pointed to his throat then tapped his ear, shaking his head furiously with gleaming eyes.

Estel swallowed hard at the fierce look on the silent one's face. He didn't seem bored anymore. Luckily for the human, Ricamros came and led his brother away with a huge grin on his face.

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Iaurtondariel struggled against the bonds around her wrists and ankles. A dirty rag had been placed inside her mouth and secured with a thick rope, causing her to choke on the filth and her eyes to water. The jeering of the goblins were all around her as she was pulled savagely into an even larger cavern. This one seemed more grand, as if it held importance of some sort. Somehow, a rusty chandelier was hung over the room, the candles flickering and casting shadows against the walls. Something akin to a throne was carved crudely into the wall, its edges jagged and sharp. The elleth quieted suddenly, extreme anger and hate passing through her body.

To her, the goblins looked the same. Except this one; she knew this one. This one who was seated upon the throne was the one who robbed Norui of his life.

The elleth did not tear her eyes away from the ugly creature upon the throne. He was clad in tattered clothes with bits of armor here and there. A black sword was at his feet, rust visible on the hilt even from where she was. Its dry lips cracked as it grinned devilishly at her, showing off his decaying teeth. It took all her will just to hold down her stomach's contents at the sight of the filthy creature. Inwardly, she knew what they planned to do to her but that did not matter to her. All she wanted to do was get loose and stick the beast through the heart with its own blade.

Slowly, the goblins brought Iaurtondariel as they hooted and cackled in excitement. The larger goblin thrust her forward and she fell on her face. She tasted something metallic on her tongue and grimaced, unable to spit out the blood due to the gag in her mouth. The goblin pulled viciously on her hair, yanking her onto her knees. Pain-filled tears streamed down her checks and her screams were muffled by the rag. She was barely aware of the beast on the throne coming to his feet.

"What 'ave we here?" He questioned, his voice scratchy and rough. The goblins quieted down though they continued snickering quietly.

"The prisoner." The one holding the elleth answered in an equally abrasive voice, "Turns out she's a fighter, an' a good one at that."

"Is she now?" The leader said, stepping slowly down towards Iaurtondariel. Defiance shone from her eyes as she stared up at him with disgust and hate. Scratches covered her face and small trails of blood mingled with her tears, "What be your name, she-elf?" The elleth's teeth dug into the dirty cloth and the goblin sneered, "Well?"

Her head snapped to the side with a sickening ring as the creature's gritty hand slapped viciously across her face. Cruel laughter erupted once more from the others, blocking out the painful ringing in her ears.

"Not gonna answer, eh?" The leader questioned, laughing maliciously. He reached down to pick up the rusty sword, "Well, then perhaps it would be best if you were to join your little friend in the-"

"My lord!"

The goblins turned to the intrusion, confused chatter erupting in the crowds. A lone goblin stood in the entrance way, leaning heavily with his hands supporting on his knees.

"Silence!" The King ordered and the creatures obeyed at once. He glared at the goblin expectantly.

"My lord!" It said again, "The elf! The one that was dead! He is gone!"

Iaurtondariel's eyes widened in shock and she glanced to the messenger. The goblins broke into a frenzy, drawing their small blades and glancing around anxiously as if expecting him to come out of nowhere. The elleth's heart pounded even harder in her chest and a cold sweat rolled down her face. How was that possible?

"Are you sure?" The goblin growled, tightening his hold on his sword, "The creature was dead! Sliced its throat, I did!"

"I know, my lord, but the cell door was open and-"

The goblin never had time to finish his sentence. The beasts in the room silence and stared in shock at their comrade. A gurgling sound came from his mouth, black blood trailing down his lip. He fell to his knees and his face hit the floor.

A wooden arrow with green feathers protruded from its back.

**XX**

**Muahaha! I liked this chapter a lot! I hope you guys enjoyed it::grin: I had a lot of fun writing it, even if I am dead tired right now. Hehe. Hmm, not much to say. Oh, have any of you seen King Kong yet? It's so awesome! Sad, but brilliant! You all must see it!**

**I've got a new question for you all! Sabre, you've already answered. And no, your vote can't count as two. :p Okay, what story would you like to see next after this one? One from my bio or one that continues the epilogue of Call of the Red Bird? Let me know, please! **

**Also, have any of you read the Sevenwaters Trilogy before? I don't remember the author but oh well. Ug, I can't type anymore, so tired. See you all later! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	38. You Should Not Be Here

**Hello again! I've returned! And there is bluegrass music playing upstairs…right. And tomorrow is Christmas! Yay! Unfortunately, I think I'm coming down with a cold…Ug. I hope not. Anywho, on with the story!**

**Bold represents Tarmikos writing. **

**XX**

Chapter 38- You Should Not Be Here

"How much further?" Estel questioned as he walked beside Mithrandir and the Muruien twins. Ricamros sighed, running his hand over his face and up through his long hair.

"I would say that we will reach the borders of the forest by morning if we continue at this pace through the night." He replied. The human nodded, quelling his excitement.

"Thank you." He replied, inclining his head, and then slowed to walk beside Arwen.

Another day passed and they still saw no signs of the falcon. Though everyone did notice the young prince slowly falling into despair again, despite their efforts to keep him entertained. The weight of Norui's passing still lingered heavily on their minds, but very slowly, the pain began to diminish, though it would never truly leave.

Estel had passed his new information to the other members of the group and everyone relaxed a little and was renewed with the strength to continue on. Their hearts were set on reaching the forest as soon as possible, no matter what it took for them to get there. But as evening drew near once again, the young human felt his vigor diminishing. He told his elven companions that they must keep going and that he was fine, but they would not accept it. Despite their own wishes, they settled down for the night in an area where rocks would provide protection for the human's sake.

A small fire was built at the assurance of the Muruien twins, both confident that the closeness of their homeland would keep them safe. The company scattered themselves where ever they could without having to deal with the discomfort of a rock jabbing into their back, spreading out as many blankets as could be spared. Once their camp was set, they gathered around the crackling fire, some gazing into its greedy flames while others talked quietly to one another.

"Do you think Father will have a feast upon our return?" Ricamros whispered to his brother through a mouthful of bread. The silent Muru wrinkled his nose as pieces of the food flew out of his brother's mouth and he scooted away. The other twin grinned and shoved in another mouthful, "Well?"

Tarmikos shrugged, tracing his fingers in the soft grains of dirt.

The other prince glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye, watching him intently. Tarmikos' face seemed drawn away, as if he knew something no one else did, and it confused him. Ricamros glanced around at the others in the group, then moved closer to his brother.

"You had something to do with it, didn't you?" He questioned as quietly as he could. Tarmikos froze for a split second, then continued his drawings, "You told her to go away." The silent twin paused, then nodded hesitantly. Ricamros narrowed his eyes, "Why? The young prince has already lost something dear to him, why make it worse?"

Quickly, the Muru scratched out his previous drawing and wrote into the dirt, "**Because it will help him in the end"**.

"I know, but that could have waited. He needs some companionship."

"**He has the lady**." Tarmikos scribbled again.

"That is not enough. He needs someone he can trust."

"**What is not to trust about her?** **Do you say this because you feel trust cannot be found in those you love?" **

As the Muru finished his sentence, Ricamros gritted his teeth and brushed it away with his hand. He glowered at his smirking brother, crossing his arms.

"You must learn to be silent." He muttered.

"**I am always silent, my brother.**"

"Be quiet!"

"**But I**-**" **He did not have the chance to finish his sentence before the silver haired prince leapt up and stormed away, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Tarmikos smiled as he watched his brother glower angrily, perched on a boulder behind everyone else. He shook his head in mirth, and then went back to making his patterns in the soil.

The company was content to sit in quiet once again as they stared into the fire. Subconsciously, Estel drew Arwen closer to himself and she rested her head on his shoulder, smiling contentedly. The fire seemed to put each and every one of them in a state of trance, unable to tear their gazes away from the flickering flames. Shadows danced across their faces and their eyes shone in the oncoming darkness.

A soft voice suddenly broke the silence and the trance and the company turned to the new sound. Still upon his perch, Ricamros quietly sang to himself, as if he were too bashful to sing any louder. They stared intently at the Muru with curiosity on their faces.

_Night and the spirit of life calling 'listen'_

_And a voice just the fear of a child answers 'listen'_

_This is the throne of our ancestors_

_Oh, son of the nation._

_Wait, there's no mountain too great_

_Hear the words and have faith_

_He lives in you, He lives in me_

_He watches over everything we see_

_Into the water, Into the truth_

_In your reflection, He lives in you_

_They live in you, They live in me_

_They're watching over everything we see_

_In every creature, In every star_

_In your reflection, They live in you_

_He lives in you, He lives in me_

_He watches over everything we see_

_Into the water, Into the truth_

_In your reflection, He lives in you_

His voice carried off on the wind, slowly disappearing as quietly as it had come. The company continued to watch him with raised eyebrows as he lowered his head into his hands, struggling to keep his shoulders from trembling. Tarmikos gazed transfixed at his brother as a single tear slid down his creamy cheek.

"My lord?" Arwen called softly to the Muru.

"Our father taught it to us a few days after our eldest brother was killed." He explained quietly, his voice quivering, "I thought it appropriate for your situation." And with that, he leapt nimbly from his perch and cast himself down upon his bedroll.

The company did not say another word that night; instead they laid down to rest just as the Muru had done. His haunting melody played through their minds as they slept, each moved in their own way.

Tarmikos continued to gaze where his brother had previously sat, tears streaming silently down his face.

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The screeching of the goblins made her ears hurt and she wished desperately to block the noise with her hands. They all scurried around in a panic, trying to escape while others prepared for a battle. The leader shouted out orders above the shrieking and screaming, struggling to bring order to his armies.

Iaurtondariel's guards had left her in an attempt to aide their king and her warrior instincts kicked in. As quietly as she could, she began to crawl away from the feet of the king, using her elbows and knees. The creature did not seem to notice as he fought against his own warriors, still failing to calm them.

'_What discipline_.' The elleth thought dryly, rolling her eyes.

Another green arrow shot into the swarms of goblins and lodged itself in the neck of one of the creatures. Any control that had been brought under the beasts was now lost as they fled into any chamber they could find. They grappled over top of each other, some being beaten to death by their feet. Normally, a single elf would be laughed at but one that had come back to life after being slashed in the neck sent them into terror.

Suddenly, without warning, a bright light flashed up and shot into the fray, sending a dozen goblins flying into the air with their bodies torn to shred. If it were possible, the creatures put up even more of a struggle to escape. Iaurtondariel narrowly avoided being trampled in the process.

More of the destroying flashes appeared, sending more and more of the 'warriors' soaring. Some of the larger, better-trained goblins held their ground and slashed at what ever it was that was attacking. It was shrouded in a great golden light that burned the flesh off their bones whenever they touched it. This alone made even the largest goblins cower in fear.

Amidst all of this, Iaurtondariel continued to sneak away, doing her best to stay in the shadows. A dark cut out in the wall came in to view and she set her sights upon that. The goblins around seemed to forget about her for the time being but, suddenly, a massive pressure was placed on her back, knocking out her breath.

"Where are ya going, princess?" The Goblin King sneered as he drove his heel into the elleth's back. The elf, still bound, struggled to rid him of her but found him too heavy to move. She clenched her teeth together, trying to stifle a scream, as the pressure became almost too unbearable. She thought her spine would break until something else happened.

Time seemed to stop for a long moment, and everyone in the cavern froze. The screams and shouts were muffled until there was nothing left to hear, and each breath seemed like it took ages to finish. Thoughts slowed to a stop and everything was almost suspended in air.

Power seemed to emanate from the golden being in the form of a blinding light. Everyone cowered from it, shielding their eyes from the brightness. The figure was cloaked in its own energy, casting fear and awe on those before it. Its true form was hidden and could not be distinguished from the light emanating from its body.

The light seemed to waver, and then it burst throughout the cavern. The voices were returned, all screaming in pain and agony. Their bodies were torn apart and disintegrated into nothing, leaving nothing behind. Iaurtondariel covered her head in a vain attempt to protect herself as the wave washed over her. The King's curdling scream echoed in her ears as he was tossed aside, and his body disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The power seemed to glide over the elleth's body but she could feel it reaching into her, drawing out her soul as if testing her strength. She dared to roll onto her back to gaze upon this being with wonder-filled eyes. She squinted her eyes against the extreme light, trying to see through the power. But her breath caught in her throat suddenly and she fell back to the ground, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she fell into unconsciousness.

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Legolas jolted in his sleep, instantly waking him from slumber. He sat up quickly, his cerulean darting this way and that, searching desperately in the dark. A strange feeling pulsated through his being and it confused him greatly. Never before had he felt such a thing; it raised uncertainty yet excitement in his heart.

"Legolas?" Someone called softly and he glanced over to see his two sisters sitting up as well.

"Did you feel that?" Lothron questioned, watching him with glistening eyes.

"Yes, what is it?" He replied, crawling slowly over to them. Elladan muttered something in his sleep as the prince passed him by but did not awaken.

"I am not sure." The Crown Princess said, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders, "But it was strange."

"Almost as if another part of me was awoken again." Melyanna mused, moving closer to her siblings. Lothron nodded.

"What do you think it is?" Legolas asked, gazing upon his sisters with wondering eyes. They shrugged.

"I do not know." Lothron said, "Perhaps we can speak to Mithrandir about it in the morning."

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The old wizard sighed as he went about collecting his belongings, listening to the three Mirkwood elves as they explained to them their feeling they all awoke to. It was strange, he thought, that the three of them would feel the same thing at the same time. But, as he continued to tell them, he did not know what it meant at the moment. It would take time to figure out such a thing; something he didn't have at the moment.

"But Mithrandir," Lothron persisted, "Surely you must have some idea what this means!"

"I have told you countless times, my lady, that I need to think on it." The Istar explained once again in a less then patient tone, "You should not let it worry you too much."

"But is it not strange? That the three of us would feel like that at the same time?"

"I never said that it was normal but it is not something that I can answer immediately. I will think on it, then tell you what I figure out." He bowed and strode away quickly to avoid any more questions from the princess.

The three watched him go with frowns upon their faces. They knew it meant something important but could not grasp what it was. They glanced between each other with questioning looks in their eyes. It troubled them, yet elated them, and confused them yet brought hope.

Melyanna sighed, acknowledged her siblings with a small smile, and then went to check up on Elladan. Lothron clasped Legolas on the shoulder with another smile, kissed him softly on the cheek, and then went to speak with Arwen. The young prince, looked between everyone and up at the sky. He wished that one time when he looks up, he will be greeted by the familiar eyes of his beloved falcon. But that had not yet happened and it was slowly eating at his soul.

As soon as everyone had packed up and had a little something to eat, they continued on their trek. The Muruien twins led the way along with Mithrandir, shortly followed by the Peredhil twins with their brother and sister. The two Mirkwood princesses walked beside each other, speaking in hushed voices while the golden haired prince and Jaimea walked together in silence. As they walked, they noticed a large stretch of trees break on the horizon and their hearts leapt into their throat. With each step, the Muruien land was getting closer and closer.

The silver haired twins seemed to quicken their pace as they drew nearer to their homeland; their eyes alight with excitement. The company did not argue at the speed, each and everyone one of them filled with a new hope.

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Turwaithiel pulled back the branches slightly with narrowed eyes. She vaguely heard Uhako come up behind her, looking over her shoulder. At the base of a tree sat two bright haired males, speaking with grins upon their faces, and another dark haired male poking at a small fire with a stick. The three of them were clad in browns and greens with silver chain mail underneath. A long sword was at the waist of the dark haired one while the other two had longbows. One said something that the Muru didn't catch and the three burst out into laughter.

The maiden glanced at the Muru behind her and, with a quick nod, drew the hood of her cloak over her head, Uhako following her example. With almost no noise, they strode into the clearing. Immediately, the three guards leapt up with their weapons at the ready.

"State your purpose!" The dark haired one commanded, his chocolate eyes steely and hardened. Uhako raised his hand in peace.

"My lady and I only wish to venture out of the forest to visit some old friends a few miles north from here." He stated, wrapping his arm around the maiden next to him. The three Muruien guards narrowed their eyes at the two.

"Names?" The same one ordered again. Uhako subconsciously gritted his teeth and tightened his hold on Turwaithiel's waist. She nudged him slightly in the ribs with her elbow.

"Lord Nyo and Lady Medeki." He answered tensely, his patience already waning. The dark haired guard eyed them both suspiciously, looking them up and down. His heart began to pound in his chest when the three guards spoke together in hurried voices. Turwaithiel looked up at him with a warning in her eyes and he cleared his throat loudly.

"You know the laws, my lord. It is not safe to travel outside the lands nowadays. I am surprised my King even allowed his remaining sons to venture out beyond the borders." The same one scoffed as he turned to them once more, "Word has reached our ears of a company traveling this way but we do not yet know the cause. We were ordered to escort them to the palace, the princes with them."

The maiden's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She glanced sharply up at Uhako who was in the same state as well. The three Muruien watched them closely, the suspicion rising within them.

"You know of this already." He stated more then questioned. His grip on his sword tightened, "I am sorry, my lord and lady, but I-"

The guard didn't have time to finish his sentence before Uhako whipped out his sword, concealed beneath his cloak, and took no hesitation in cleaving off the Muru's head. Immediately, the fair-haired guards took aim and rapidly fired off arrow after arrow at the two. As if it were a daily routine, the couple flew apart from each other, dodging and parrying the arrows with their own weapons. One of the Muruien placed a gold horn to his lips and blew into it, sending off a resonating boom throughout the forest.

Almost immediately, shouts in the distance were heard and the ringing of swords being drawn reached the Muruien's ears. The fair-haired males continued to shoot off their arrows yet Turwaithiel and Uhako continued to dodge them. Arrows from different directions whizzed past their heads and they struggled to keep moving.

Suddenly, a cold draft pushed through the area, blowing out the fire and shoving the guards to the ground. The couple gazed around in shock, knowing full well what was happening: their Master had come. A bright shield of gold light formed around them, reflecting any arrows that came their way. In the middle of the clearing, they saw their Master take shape with his sword in hand. The Muruien on the ground stared up at him with fearful eyes, trembling. He raised his sword as if to strike them down but, instead, raised his other hand and a bolt of black light shot from it and into their hearts. They did not move again.

The shouts continued to grow closer and Eruko turned towards the couple, hissing between his teeth. The shield dissipated and he stormed towards them. Uhako tightened his grip on his blade and moved to stand protectively in front of Turwaithiel. The cloaked creature only growled and shoved him away.

"You fools!" He spat, "Look at what you have done! This will not go without punishment!" And without another word, a gust of wind picked up and they were gone, leaving nothing but the bodies of the guards behind.

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Her mind was in a whirlwind when she awoke. A chilly breeze whipped past her face and tousled her dark hair. All of her body ached and she found it hard to concentrate on anything. She was aware that she seemed to be suspended in the air and it was no longer dark. Something warm was around her but she felt bitterly cold, almost unbearably. She searched her mind, trying to find anything that would make sense, but found nothing.

She struggled to open her eyes and found herself looking up at the blue sky. White clouds wheeled above her and the sun shone brightly in the west. She heard the soft beating of something beside her but was in no state to see what it was. All she wanted was to rid herself of the pain that throbbed in her head and fall into oblivion.

And that was what she did.

The crackling of a fire brought Iaurtondariel back to her senses. And, to her dismay, found that it was the only light left in the darkness. She shuddered, fearful at the idea of being in the dark once again. When she tried to move, she found herself constricted and panic swept through her body. Memories of the short time she was trapped with the goblins flooded her mind and she struggled to fight back the overwhelming emotions.

There was a soft cackle beside her and she pried her eyes open. They darted every which way, widening in fear when she could not see a thing. The first thing that popped into her mind was that she had gone blind but this was quickly cast away when she saw the flickering of the flames beside her. There was another cackle and, slowly and painfully, she turned her head to find the source of the noise.

Perched upon a small stone was the golden Peregrine falcon she knew and recognized. The falcon quirked her head at the elleth as if questioning the reason for her shock. The elf's lips moved as if to speak but found no words would form.

A shuffling on the other side of her caught her attention and she turned her head towards the new noise. A shadowed figured walked silently through the camp, bending down to pick up small sticks and branches to feed the fire. Her eyes strayed over the person's form, taking in every tiny detail. He walked with such a gracefulness that only one of the Eldar could possess and every step was silent. A hood concealed his face and his cloak billowed out behind him gently like a ghost. He stopped suddenly, feeling eyes upon him, and he turned towards the elleth with sorrowful eyes.

Emerald eyes met her own and she felt her heart constrict in her chest. Mahogany hair had escaped from the person's hood; the small locks billowing out in the crisp breeze. Grief was plastered upon his face and Iaurtondariel felt her own self-fall into depression at the aura he gave off. His body seemed to tremble but from what, she knew not. The wind changed directions sharply, casting his hood from his head and she could clearly see his true form. Now, her own body began to shake.

The person sighed, drawing his gaze away from hers. She felt the blood being drawn away from her face as she reached out to the person. Seeing this, he strode over to her swiftly and kneeled before her, taking her hand in his. Her eyes darted frantically over his chiseled features, his pointed ears.

Slowly, the elleth reached up and touched his cheek lightly with her finger tips; he did not pull away. Her fingers glided up the side of his face, her eyes never leaving his, and then trailed down the bridge of his nose. From there, they gently passed over his lips, down his chin until they came to rest upon a long, white scar on his throat. Her hand quivered and fell to the ground, tears streaming down her pale face.

"How is this possible?" She breathed, "I saw it happen…you should not be here." The frown on the male's face deepened and he looked down to the ground. He took her hands once more and brought them to his lips, kissing them both softly.

"If only I could answer that, it would settle the struggles in both of our hearts, my lady." He replied softly. Sadness dripped off his voice and Iaurtondariel winced slightly. She was vaguely aware of his thumbs massaging the tops of her hands.

"But you should be dead." She whispered, gazing deeply into his emerald eyes. Her hands, once again, touched the thin scar on his throat, "How? How have you returned to us? Or is it the other way around and I have joined you in the Halls of Mandos?"

"No, we are both in the living world, as you should be. But I do not belong here. I was torn away from the peace of death in a way that I should not have been."

"Do you not wish to be here then?" She questioned, her heart tightening. A sigh escaped his lips.

"I do not know what I wish for anymore." A tear dripped off his chin and he leaned down to kiss the elleth on the forehead, "You need to rest. You have been through much." He stood to leave, drawing his cloak around him once again.

"But you have been through more, my lord." She said softly, already closing her eyes. He froze in his steps, willing to keep his emotions in check. She felt her mind begin to haze once again and she managed to utter a few more words, "I love you, Norui."

The ellon looked over his shoulder at the sleeping elleth with glazed eyes. Her felt his mind and heart clash against each other, confusing and tormenting him to no end. He knew the meaning behind her words though it made him cringe. In the short time he knew her, he knew that it would eventually come to this just by watching her as she watched him when she thought no one noticed. It pained him to know that he would have to tell her the truth but that could wait, he thought.

A shaky breath escaped his lips and he strode back over to the elf. He knelt down beside her, stroking her dark hair out of her eyes. He was relieved to find that her eyes had closed, signaling the deep sleep she had fallen into. The ellon hung his head, touching his throat gingerly with his fingers. He looked over to the falcon who still sat quietly on her perch, gazing at him with her golden eyes. He sighed shakily, his emerald eyes watering.

"What now, Espenshade?" He whispered, "What am I supposed to do now?"

The falcon only clicked her tongue in response, eyeing the ellon closely.

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The elves perked up when a tremor shook the ground they walked upon. They glanced around with confusion in their eyes, all wondering what had caused the disturbance. The Muruien twins seemed equally distressed as they gazed worriedly upon the borders of their homeland. They looked back to the company with anxious eyes.

"Something has happened." Ricamros whispered, "We must hurry." Tarmikos nodded and, without a word to the others in the group, the Muruien sprinted away, ignoring the confused cries of their companions. The vaguely heard their footfalls fast approaching them but they did not slow down. The only thing they cared about at the moment was the safety of their home and people. They could feel the tension emanating from the forest, even at this distance.

Their feet continued to glide unhindered over the plains, nimbly jumping over any obstacle that stood in their way, their strides matching the others perfectly in time. They only slowed their pace when they came to the border of trees, both staring into its depths. They stood there for what seemed like the longest time, searching for anything that might be amiss and they did not acknowledge the others as they came behind them, some breathing heavily in exhaustion.

"What was that about?" Melyanna questioned, slowly coming up to stand beside them. She followed the Muruien's gaze and gasped, "What happened?"

Quickly, the elleth darted into the forest despite the others' calls. She clambered through the thick vines and twisted trees, her eyes set on a small clearing deep in the forest. Her hair became tangled in the sharp thorns that wove between the trees like a spider's web, unaware of her companions following quickly behind her.

When she finally reached her destination, she dropped down to her knees beside the body of a lifeless male. His golden hair was spread wildly about him and his eyes were wide as if frightened. The elleth looked around and noticed that two other males lay dead on the ground. She whispered an elvish prayer under her breath and made to stand but was stopped suddenly when cold steel was placed against her neck. Her eyes widened.

"And what have we here?" A cold voice hissed from behind her, "Surely, no Muru. A trespasser, perhaps?"

"Melyanna!" Someone called, stumbling into the clearing followed by her companions. Lothron's eyes widened in shock "Let her go!" She cried again.

"You expect us to let a murderer go, my lady?" The same one questioned harshly.

"Enough!" Ricamros growled pulling Lothron back behind them, "Leave her be, my lord, she has done no evil." The kneeling elleth heard the one behind her take a sharp breath and then pull away.

"Forgive me, my prince." He said apologetically, "Someone sounded a warning and we came as quickly as we could. Seeing the lady here, one could only believe she had something to do with it."

"A simple elleth defeating three trained guards of the Muruien single handedly? I think not." The Muru twin stated, raising an eyebrow. The other bowed his head.

"I am sorry."

Lothron pushed the Muru aside and rushed to her sister, pulling her up quickly. Melyanna turned to look at the one behind her with nervous eyes and saw a tall Muru with golden hair and hard eyes watching her regretfully. Her eyes took in his form quickly, and she bowed her head, muttering an apology.

"I take it this is the company that the King has been anxiously waiting for?" He questioned, turning his attention to the two silver haired princes. He smiled when Tarmikos came up beside his brother and the Muru returned it.

"Aye, it is. We found them only a few days from here. And may I say that this is quite the interesting bunch." Ricamros answered, eyeing the dark haired Noldor twins. They grinned in response.

"Right." The guard said, "I trust that you can safely lead them to the town. Or should I send some escorts with you?" He added with a small smirk.

"That won't be necessary." The prince replied, smirking as well, "We can take it from here. Thank you, my lord." The fair-haired guard bowed at the waist and the two princes returned it.

Once again, the company started forward, following the Muruien twins and eyeing the group of guards curiously. They found it difficult to navigate the further they ventured into the forest, the foliage thick and the air humid. Strange birds of bright colors flew above the heads, peering down at them with black eyes. The wild calls of animals was all around them and, at one point, Elrohir fancied that he saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes following them in the distance, occasionally glimpsing a sleek, black creature in the bushes. He swallowed hard and moved closer to his brother. Elladan quirked his eyebrow at his twin whom only grinned sheepishly in reply.

Slowly, the trees began to open up and it became easier to breathe. A pathway appeared before them and the company sighed in relief. They eagerly followed the two silver haired princes, gazing around in wonderment. Brightly colored flowers sprung up from the ground, emitting aromatic scents. A thick canopy shaded them and the elves found comfort in the forest. Their hearts sang at being under the trees again, familiar or no.

They heard whispers all around them and they stared deep into the trees with curious eyes, seeking out the hidden people around them. They saw fleeting images of some smaller people darting between trees and watching them from high in the canopy though they could make out no features. They noticed Tarmikos and Ricamros were right at home, their footsteps light and love was in their eyes. They all knew the joy that returning to your home brought.

Before any of them, excluding the Muruien twins, realized how much time had passed, a great wall of smooth stone loomed before them. A heavy wooden gate was set in the middle, intricate patterns engraved into the wood weaving around a creature that was unfamiliar to them. They looked upon it with awe in their eyes, unaware of their escorts conversing with two guards that had come forth from the gate.

"I saw one of those in the forest." The younger Peredhil twin commented quietly to his brother, nudging him in the ribs. The other twin grunted in annoyance, then studied the carving on the door. The creature had long and nimble legs with deadly claws outstretched from its paws. A long, thin tail stretched out, curling above its body, and its massive jaws were twisted into a snarl. Elladan snorted.

"I doubt that, my brother. It looks to me like some creature from legend."

"It would not surprise me if you did see one of these, my lord." A guard said suddenly catching the attentions of the companions, "They are not rare in the forest, nor are they common. We call them Oqueri in our tongue, but I know not the translation of it in your language."

Elrohir only nodded his thanks to the guard before turning back to his brother with a satisfied smirk on his face. The other ellon rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you are ready." Ricamros called to the group, barely able to suppress his grin, "Welcome to Banemera, city of the Muruien."

Sharp gasps escaped the lips of the companions as they gazed around in wonder at the city before them. Buildings of smooth white stone lined the cobblestone streets and people mingled with each here and there. Children darted across their path, laughing with each other as they played their games. Older citizens stopped their business to bow to their princes, who inclined their heads to them as well, and eyed the company curiously.

Legolas chuckled when he saw a few strange creatures with long tails and fingers darting among the carts filled with fruits and vegetables. When the keeper of the market turned, they all snatched away a piece of fruit, shoved it into their mouths and leapt nimbly up into the trees. The golden haired prince nudged the elleth who walked beside him gently, motioning with his head towards the mischievous creatures. Jaimea stifled her laughter when the keeper turned and gasped in outrage when she saw one smaller animal munching on a shiny apple. She swatted it away with her hand and it went scampering into the trees, squealing as it went.

They noticed, to some confusion, that most of the people had either golden or silver hair. Only occasionally would they see one with dark hair mixed in with the crowds. Not only that but almost all had eyes the color of navy blue. Once again, only a few defied this trait.

Within a few moments, they came upon an even grander structure, its tall peaks cutting through the thick canopy. Shimmering glass windows reflected the sunlight and a large waterfall flowed down the side of it as if the building had been built right into the river. A bridge crossed behind this, concealing a few of the people as they passed by. Gardens of beautiful flowers and herbs lined the base of the building, leading right up to a great gate engraved with the same creature on the city's walls. The structure was enormous and glorious, even to the elves, and the whole thing glimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

Ricamros and Tarmikos turned back to the company with excitement in their eyes, "Welcome to the palace of King Judeqir, our father."

**XXXXX**

**Hum bum, here you go! I hope you liked it. By the way, Ricamros's song is from The Lion King. Hehe, I got the Broadway CD of it and when I heard that song, I freaked out! I was like, "SWEET ERU! This song is perfect!" So, ta da! I'm actually listening to it right now…you know, I think I have a subconscious obsession with that movie. I noticed that in two of my other stories, I put in a reference to it: Call of the Red Bird and Love at First Sight. Muahaha. **

**Well, thank you for reading! I hope everyone had a good Christmas! My parents got me Hadhafang and Legolas's knives! AIIEEE! So wonderful:D Okay, anywho! Ta ta for now! **

**And thank you, Ty, for betaing for me! It is much appreciated and the chapter looks great! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	39. Sheepish Muruien and Foxy Ellyth

**Oh man, I am so exhausted. It's almost seven, New Year's Eve, and I'm tired! Arg, that can't be good. :pouts: I wanna watch the big, sparkly gum ball drop! **

**And I just did! Huzzah! Yup, five hours later and this is all that I've done. Ehehe, I love my short atte- Hey! A bug! Bzzzzzzt! **

**Oh, and I don't think I need to say this, but concerning the title of this chapter…'foxy' is used in the sense of the actual ANIMAL. Not…other things…so get your mind out of the gutter, people! But I am sure you are all mature enough to handle that. :) **

**XXXXX**

Chapter 39- Sheepish Muruien and Foxy Ellyth

The hall was richly adorned in many golds and silvers, and tapestries of different creatures hanging from the wall. Statues of the same animals were lined up by the wall and the company wondered what significance these creatures held for the Muruien people. The room was lit brightly by the sunlight that filtered in through huge windows. The silver floors were polished so that as the companions passed over, they could see their own reflections.

And what an unpleasant sight it was to look upon themselves.

Sure, they had cleaned themselves when opportunity let them but only so much could be done in the wilderness. Even the elves, much to their horror, did not escape the grime that they were normally so careful about avoiding. Estel held back a snicker when he saw his foster brothers' appalled faces.

Nobles looked up from their business to watch as their princes and his companions trail into the room. They bowed their heads to them as Ricamros and Tarmikos caught their gazes and they both smiled, returning it with their own. The lords and ladies then turned their curious stares upon the travel worn group. And, much to the Noldor twins' amusement, they groaned when they caught sight of the identical elves, muttering about how one set of twins was bad enough.

The two Muruien princes continued to guide them through the winding halls of their home. The sound of the rushing waterfall they saw outside became steadily closer and they finally came upon the bridge that crossed behind it. Gasps of awe escaped some of their lips as they gazed around them, transfixed that the people were able to construct such a thing.

"It is so much like home." Melyanna whispered to her two siblings that walked beside her. They could only nod in agreement.

They passed through a large door that was encrusted with gold designs. Light flooded into the room from one side while the other appeared as if it were made out of rock. It suddenly came to them that the palace was attached directly to a large, rocky cliffside. Once again, they found themselves in awe at the genius of the construction.

At the far end of the room, there was a grand throne colored in, once again, silvers and golds. A tall, silver haired Muru was perched upon the seat, his head resting in his hand, while another, darker haired, Muru pleaded quietly with him. A large, black cat lay at his feet, licking its paws in boredom. The silver haired twins watched on with amusement, identical grins growing on their lips. The cat looked up at them slowly with glowing green eyes and its tongue ran over its lips. Elrohir gulped and took a step towards his brother who promptly shoved him away.

"Stop being a coward." Elladan hissed under his breath. The other twin scowled.

"Behave!" Arwen growled softly, coming between the two with a glare that reminded the twins of their own father. The older ellon snorted softly and turned away from his brother and sister.

The two arguing Muruien at the far end of the room stopped and turned around when the large cat purred softly and got to its feet. A defeated look was upon the dark haired Muru's face while the other one only grinned, standing quickly to his feet.

"At last!" He cried, "My sons have returned to me!" The silver haired twins grinned and bowed.

"It is a pleasure to see you once more, Father." Ricamros replied, clapping the King on the shoulder as he approached. He looked to his silent son with a soft smile and inclined his head. Tarmikos returned the smile, clapping him on the shoulder as well.

The company remained silent as father and his sons reunited, greeting each other with excited words and peals of laughter. The large cat that had sat at his feet slowly approached them and they could see the tense muscles flexing with each step, its long tail flicking from side to side. It stopped at the King's feet once more and licked its lips, gazing around at the group.

"My lord Judeqir?" Mithrandir suddenly cut in, interrupting the reunion. The three Muruien turned their gaze to the Istar, including the cat, and the King suddenly gasped.

"Incánus?" He breathed, a grin slowly forming on his face.

"It has been a long time." He said, smiling. Judeqir laughed loudly, striding over to place both his hands on his shoulders, giving them a quick squeeze.

"It has, my friend, it has!" He replied, "When I sent my sons out to greet your companions, I had no idea that you would be traveling with them! This is a pleasant surprise indeed!"

"Mithrandir has too many names." Estel whispered, leaning over to Legolas. The elf only smiled, nodding his head in agreement.

"I don't suppose you could provide us with some rooms, could you, Judeqir?" The wizard continued, raising his bushy eyebrows.

"Oh, but of course! How could I have forgotten?" He replied, then turned to the black cat at his feet, "Leneya, please show our guests to their chambers?"

The company watched on in amazement as a light encircled the great cat and, once it had dispersed, revealed a tall woman with black hair that reached her mid-back and green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight. She looked at the group for a brief moment, then turned and bowed to the king.

"Of course, my lord." She answered. He smiled at her, and then returned to his conversation with the wizard. Leneya gazed at all the companions once again, then motioned for them to follow her as she took off down another corridor. She called back, "You come, too, Ricamros! Tarmikos! I will not have you two wandering around the palace smelling and looking as you do!" The Muruien twins grinned and did as they were told.

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Iaurtondariel did not realize how much stress she was put under until she awoke a few days later under the bright sun. The tall, yellow grasses and the smooth rocks that jetted up around her concealed her body. She blinked rapidly as she sat up, propping herself up on her elbows, and she gazed around. Espenshade was perched upon one of the rocks, a dead rabbit in her talons and a piece of its flesh in her beak. The falcon stopped in her chewing to gaze at the elleth for a moment, then resumed eating.

She caught, out of the corner of her eye, the ellon walking in the grasses not too far from her. The elleth watched him, as he would bend down occasionally and pull up a few blades of the grasses, then add it to the collection of wildflowers he already had in his hand. He kept on doing this, and Iaurtondariel quirked her head in curiosity.

Norui smiled slightly despite himself when he sensed the elleth's gaze on him but he pretended not to notice her. He continued his work of gathering the scarce yellow and white flowers, humming softly to himself. Only when he felt he had collected enough did he turn and acknowledge the elleth. She was still watching him with questioning eyes as he strode quietly towards her and he sat down in front of her.

She still couldn't believe that he was alive again. She had seen the goblin slash him on the neck and she had seen him being dragged away. It was still amazing that he had returned, even if he didn't seem the happiest about it. This only confused her more.

"What are you doing?" She managed to ask hesitantly after a long moment of watching him weave the grasses and flowers together. He glanced up at her quickly, and then looked back down to his work.

"Nothing." He answered simply and she frowned.

"Oh."

Espenshade quirked her head, and she nearly turned it completely upside down. Iaurtondariel smiled softly at the falcon, who then chirped and righted her head, gazing off into the distance.

"Where are we going?" The elleth tried again, and she received the same reaction.

"Nowhere." He replied and she scowled slightly.

"Are you going to tell me anything?" She asked. He looked up at her again with the faintest hint of a smile and answered, "No."

Iaurtondariel crossed her arms with a huff of breath and looked into the direction the Peregrine falcon was staring so intently to. She scanned the horizon but found nothing. Sighing, she turned back to the ellon who still worked diligently. She watched his long fingers carefully twist the flowers and grasses together, slowly forming them into a delicate chain.

"How long was I asleep?" She questioned. When he opened his mouth to speak, she quickly silenced him, "And don't even think about using 'no' or 'nothing'." A charming grin spread across his lips.

"A few days, is all. You were no burden." He replied, twirling a white finger between his fingers, "Besides, what is a few days of being carried by me compared to enduring the tortures of the goblins?"

"I was not tortured, just captured." She replied, looking away from him, "I had everything under control back there." The prince coughed back a laugh. Iaurtondariel glared at him.

They sat in companionable silence, despite the previous discussion, and found comfort in each other's presence. The breeze was warm to their faces and rustled the grasses against their skin. The sun gleamed down directly on top of them and it helped cleanse away the discomfort both experienced from being in the darkness for so long. The elleth felt rejuvenated while the ellon basked contentedly in the rays, truly at peace for the first time he returned to his home.

"Iaurtondariel?" He asked softly after a while, not looking up from the chain in his hands.

"Hmm?" She responded, the argument nearly forgotten.

"You said your parents were elf and Muru." He started, "Does that mean that you can change, too? Like your sister did?" The elleth nodded slowly.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Curious." He replied, "What is your dominant shape, as you put it?"

"The fox." She answered, quirking her eyebrow, and his smile broadened.

"Well then, Iaurtondariel, I dub thee Hiril Rusc in Perth Malen a Fain." He stated proudly, placing upon her head the wreath of flowers and grasses that he had been so diligently working on. Her lips parted slightly in surprise at his action, feeling a soft pink tinge come to her cheeks. The grin returned to his face as he gazed at her up and down, admiring his own work and how well it suited her. She smiled. (Lady Fox of the Fields of Yellow and White)

"You seem to be in higher spirits today." She pointed out. Norui pursed his lips and drew his knees up under his chin.

"I have been thinking." He said, watching his fingers twist around the blades of grass, "About things."

"That was specific." She commented, tucking her hair back behind her pointed ears, "What sort of things?"

He shuffled anxiously for a moment, not meeting her gaze. The elleth suddenly felt a sort of uneasiness and discomfort. She suddenly did not want to know what it was he had been thinking of.

"It is nothing you need be concerned about." He answered quietly, "Not right now."

"Forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to pry." She said quickly and he shook his head with a faint smile.

"No harm done, Hiril Rusc." He grinned and she chuckled. (Lady Fox)

Norui stood up and stretched languidly, raising his arms to the sky. He groaned softly, and then looked around his surroundings. His eyes landed upon a large, smooth rock and he strode over to it silently. The elleth watched as he slipped his tunic and undershirt off, casting them off to the side, and then lay belly down on the stone. She quirked her brow as she leaned back, trying to keep her gaze from straying too long.

"It seems the noble prince of Mirkwood has transformed into a lazy cat right before my eyes." She smiled and his shoulders shook slightly with laughter.

"Aye, I believe you are right." He replied, arching his back and stretching out his arms with a purr. A grin slowly spread across his lips when he heard her laughter but did not say anything until she had quieted a few moments later. He chuckled, "Well, sorry to displease you, my lady, but this cat is only cold and wishes to bask in the sun."

This caused her heart to skip a beat and she crawled towards him swiftly, causing him to look up at her questioningly.

"What do you mean 'cold'? Are you alright?" Iaurtondariel asked, placing her hand carefully on his bare shoulder.

"I am fine, my lady. It is a different kind of cold." He replied, "It is my soul and my heart that is still frozen within me. I have returned physically to Middle Earth, to my family, but I still feel a part of me is back in Mandos with my Naneth and my friends who have long since parted. I just feel empty. I do not think it will help now but the warm sun upon my back has always helped to sooth me in the past."

She bit her lip in thought, "Perhaps just talking will help. So you know someone still needs you here." She suggested, watching him for his reaction. The muscles on his back seemed to stiffen slightly, and then he shrugged.

"Perhaps."

"Well, you will just have to try then!" She exclaimed, pushing him so he rolled onto his back. His eyes widened slightly, his arms reaching out to brace himself. She kept herself from glancing at his exposed chest as his muscles, hardened from countless years of battle training, twitched to keep him balanced. He looked at her in confusion when she laid down on her side, resting her head in her palm as she grinned at him, "Now, come here and let us speak so we may warm the sluggish cat once again."

When he didn't respond, only staring at her with startled eyes, she sighed and crawled towards him. The wreath on her head went forgotten as it slipped off in her quick motions. Norui's eyes only widened and he pulled himself away.

"What are you doing?" He questioned quickly, praying the rock did not end anytime soon and he would fall off the edge in a heap.

"Nothing, I just want you to relax and speak with me!" She replied, laughing. She reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards and arranging him in the same position she had been in moments before. To her, the look of shock and confusion on his face was priceless. Once again, she rested her head in her hand with a grin on her face.

"I do not believe this is entirely appropriate, my lady!" He cried, hurriedly clambering up into a sitting position.

"But Norui, I'm only-"

"If you will excuse me!" And with that, he leapt off the rock and grabbed his tunic, then darted off into the distance like a timid deer spooked by a hunter.

A frown came upon the elleth's lips as she watched him disappear behind one of the large boulders and she sighed sadly, rolling onto her back. She squinted her eyes against the sun and her heart tightened in her chest.

'Well, that was brilliant.'

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"You imbeciles!" Eruko shouted, barely able to contain his anger as his servants stood silently in front of him. It took him all he was worth not to strike them down right then and there, "Do you realize what you could have done?"

"It wasn't my fault." Turwaithiel muttered, earning her a dig in the ribs by Uhako.

"I do not care whose fault it was!" The hooded being cried, throwing his arms in the air, "The fact is it was done and nothing can change that!"

They did not respond, only watching him with unwavering eyes. Fear and anxiousness radiated from their bodies. Their silence only enraged Eruko further.

"You have cast away nearly all hope of catching them before they reach the borders, if they haven't already! You have revealed yourselves to the enemy, as well as myself, and that threatens our secrecy! You could have been killed!"

"We were doing fine until-" Uhako was cut off when the lady stomped on his foot to silence him and he growled. The creature stopped in his pacing with narrowed eyes, staring dangerously at the male Muru.

"Until what, Uhako?" He hissed, moving towards him threateningly, "Until I showed up?"

The blood began to pound in the Muru's chest and he felt his confidence wavering. His master continued to glide tauntingly towards him until they were face to face. A cold sweat trailed down his forehead when he saw, just as Turwaithiel had said, that the creature's face was not visible.

"That is not what I meant, my lord." He said quickly, his voice quivering, "You misunderstand me."

"Oh, really? Then pray tell me what it was you were trying to say." He didn't answer, only staring into the empty void that would be his face and Eruko sneered. The Muru found himself holding his breath when a cold blade found its way to his neck, just barely touching his skin. The flickering torches on the ways cast their light on the metal, dancing along the edge dangerously. The lady beside him only watched on with anxious eyes.

"You think me stupid, my servant?" He sneered, drawing a small drop of blood from the Muru's neck, "You do not realize how quickly and easily I can kill you, Uhako. You think me weak and frail but you do not stand a chance against one such as me. Do not think that I keep you out of kindness, for you are mistaken. I keep you because you still owe me something and once that debt is repaid, I will not hesitate in ridding the world of your despicable presence. You are too confident, too sure of yourself, and you will find that that shall be your undoing."

"My lord." Turwaithiel broke in, placing a hand carefully on her master's shoulder. He whipped his head around, glaring daggers.

"What do you want?" He sneered.

"I believe that we still have a chance in this." She stated, her heart pounding in her chest. She hoped the creature could not hear it, " Give us a chance to redeem ourselves; we shall not fail you. And if we do, there is no stopping you in doing what you believe is the best punishment."

Eruko went quiet for a moment, contemplating this idea. The lady did not pull her gaze from him and he could tell she was frightened. A wicked smile came to his lips and he pulled away from the male, replacing the blade back in a hidden sheath. Uhako let loose the breath he was holding.

"Explain."

In a flash of bright light, Turwaithiel disappeared for a few moments and when she appeared again, her appearance had changed drastically. Instead of dark locks, silver hair now flowed down to her hips and her eyes had gone a navy blue. Instead of the worn riding dress she wore, a long robe of silvery-blue took its place along with a fine suit of chain mail beneath it. Her right eye was clouded and discolored.

As the hooded creature took in the sight of the woman before him, his lips twisted into a devilish grin, running his tongue along the points of his teeth.

"Most excellent, Turwaithiel." He said, "Or should I say Lord Ricamros?"

"I will never be that insolent whelp of a prince." She scoffed, even her voice taking on that of the Muru prince, "I do this so you will have your way."

"Then you are wise, my lady." Eruko said. Turwaithiel turned to Uhako who had already transformed into the other Muru, not forgetting the white feather that was always tucked behind his ear. She moved beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We shall not fail you, Master. We will be sure the travelers do not interfere in your plans."

"I trust you in this. But if you should be unsuccessful, then I will not hesitate in showing you how much power I really have."

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No one spoke as the lady led them through the halls and up winding stairs. The Muruien twins had came to walk on either sides of her, smiling widely as they gazed around in content. They came to a long corridor where creeping vines had been painted along the walls, weaving around the doors in twisting patterns. Pictures of even more odd creatures were hung upon the walls and a silver carpet was spread out the whole length of the floor. Five doors had been spread along the hall, each having a carving of one of the creatures of the forest, and an even grander set was at the far end.

"I leave you here." Leneya said, coming to a halt, "You are free to choose your own chambers, though some of you will have to share; it is not often we have guests in the city. Please, make yourselves at home." She smiled as they nodded their thanks, then turned back to the silver haired twins beside her, "As for you two, you will not be going anywhere in this palace until I am sure you have both bathed!"

"Ah, but Leneya!" Ricamros laughed, "Have you not smelled the guests? I believe they are in need of a bath more then we are!" The lady's jaw dropped and she smacked his arm playfully.

"I do not believe that it is fit for a prince to speak of his guests that way!" She reprimanded, "Now, get! Before I drag you myself!"

They company watched with amused faces as the lady dragged the two Muruien down the hall, pinching their ears in between her fingers. They cried out in protest though laughter laced their voices and, within a few moments, had disappeared behind the doors at the far end of the hallway.

Quick glances were exchanged among the companions, then they all scattered as they laughingly fought for the room of their choice. In the end, Estel shared a room with Arwen-after much persuasion from the twins, of course- while the identical ellons got their own room. The Mirkwood princesses, Lothron and Melyanna, decided to share a room, consequently leaving Legolas and Jaimea left over. They only stared at each other uneasily.

"You can have your own room, if you'd like." The prince said, looking at his feet, "It won't bother me."

"Ah, but Legolas!" Elrohir exclaimed, slinging his arm over the ellon's shoulder with a grin, "You wouldn't allow the lady to sleep alone in a strange land, would you? Someone needs to protect her."

"I must agree." Elladan added, wrapping his arm around Jaimea's waist. The elleth glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "Besides, Arwen and Estel share a room. Why not you?"

"Because it is not-"

"You are too princely. You know you want to." The younger of the Peredhil twins said, wiggling his eyebrows. The golden haired prince scowled and promptly jabbed his elbow into the other ellon's stomach. Elrohir gasped as the air was sucked out of him and he backed away, bending over with his arms protecting his stomach. He was not aware of his brother laughing loudly at his expense.

Legolas continued to scowl as he strode over to the elleth and tucked her hand in his arm, "Fine, we will share. Besides, we've slept next to each other before…"

The dark haired ellons continued to snicker quietly to themselves as they watched the pair disappear into the room furthest away from their own. When the door clicked softly, they turned to each other with huge grins on their faces and mischievous glints in their eyes.

§§§§§§§§§§§

Nightfall had come swiftly in the Muruien city of Banemera. Mithrandir still had not returned to the company but, at the moment, they did not notice. The companions, including the Muruien princes and Leneya, had gathered in a large chamber where they sat scattered around on the floor and furniture, talking and laughing together. A fire roared in the elaborate hearth, casting shadows on the faces of the travelers. A large tray of assorted foods sat off to the side, stripped clean of any scraps. For the first time in what seemed like forever, they had eaten a proper meal and had taken a refreshing bath, ridding their bodies of the grime that had accumulated despite best efforts.

Tales of warriors and love were exchanged between the races; some comforting, while others awe inspiring. Ricamros, along with the occasional comment from Leneya, told of past kings of the realm and how the Muruien came to live in the forest. In return, the companions took turns in telling their own history and their homes. They could all tell the Muruien were particularly interested in Mirkwood, saying that any type of wood- no matter what evil may lurk there- brought solace to their hearts.

Time wore on and tales were worn out. They were content to just talk of anything that crossed their minds, overjoyed that they could relax for the first time in many months.

"So, what is Lady Leneya to you, may I ask?" Estel asked Tarmikos after a brief moment of silence. He looked up and saw her sitting behind the silent Muru, gently running a white comb through his damp locks, "Lovers?" Leneya smiled slightly, Tarmikos quirked his brow, and Ricamros just laughed.

"No, they are not." He grinned, shaking his head, "She is my eldest brother's wife. She just coddles Tarmikos now that he has…gone away." He said this last part carefully and tensely. The human's lips turned into a frown and he bowed his head.

"Forgive me, my lord." He apologized and the Muru shook his head, smiling.

"It is alright; it is in the past now." He said with a shrug but every person in the room could tell there was something more in his eyes, some dark thought that plagued his mind but would never reveal itself.

"What was his name, if you do not mind me asking?" Arwen questioned, moving to sit beside her brothers. Elladan, who was stretched out on his back, smiled at her and touched her cheek softly with his knuckles. The elleth returned the smile with her own and let her fingers trail through his unbraided tresses.

"Birih." He answered, "He was a good lad, if not a bit arrogant at times. He was the Oqueri, just like Leneya."

"Yes, Iaurtondariel told us that only two Muruien have the same dominant shape and that they were destined to be lovers." Elrohir commented, taking a bite out of a biscuit he had 'salvaged' from the food tray. The silver haired prince nodded.

"It is a good thing you met up with her; she knows much of both Muru and Elf, as you could imagine. 'Tis a shame, though, that I have yet to meet her in person; I have encountered her sister many times but Lady Iaurtondariel was never around." He mused quietly and they fell into silence once more.

"Can you show us your form?" Jaimea suddenly asked, her voice quiet, and both Muruien twins looked up at her, "If it is not too much to ask, of course." A grin slowly formed on Ricamros's lips.

"Ah, my lady, I do not think you would have any interest in my shape but perhaps, "He turned to his brother with a mischievous shimmer in his eye, "Perhaps you would find my brother's more entertaining."

A firm scowl set in upon the Muru's lips and he shook his head vigorously, only to have Leneya tug none too gently on his hair.

"Hold still!" She scolded, fixing his head straight again. He rolled his eyes.

"Come, brother! Show them!" The other one said, still grinning, "I am sure they would love it."

A scowl.

"Please? Do this for them, not me. They are interested." Ricamros waved his hand towards the anxiously waiting group. Tarmikos glanced among them slowly, then rolled his eyes with a defeated look on his face. A blush crept up on his cheeks and a pale light engulfed his form.

Leneya growled and threw the comb to the side, then quickly moved out of the way. She sat cross-legged on the bed; her arms crossed over her chest, but still watched the transformation. The companions leaned forward, each and every one of them curious and excited. Slowly, the light began to dim and the Muru prince was no longer there.

They blinked.

They blinked again.

And, for good measure, they blinked one final time.

"He is adorable!" Every elleth in the room seemed to cry, grins plastered upon their faces. The ellen stared at the form on the bed, their jaws dropped. Ricamros only had a twisted grin on his lips.

Cowering amidst the silver blankets was a small creature, not even two heads tall. Its coat was snowy white and tight curls sprouted up everywhere on its body. In place of feet were tiny black hooves that stood uneasily on the bed. Its ears drooped to the side and its eyes were a bright blue. It did not make a sound, only quivered under their gazes.

Ricamros snickered.

"A sheep?" Elladan breathed, wide eyed.

"A lamb, to be more precise." The other Muru responded, "He is still young in Muruien standards so his form would still be young, as well." The ellon nodded mutely.

The lamb's frightened eyes glanced around at everyone quickly, his body still shaking. Before anymore could be said, the pale light took him again and when it dissipated, the prince had regained his normal form. He dared not look up at those in the room as the blush spread across his face. He was barely aware of Leneya coming up behind him again to finish combing through his hair.

"Well, I thought it was very nice." Lothron commented, trying to raise the spirits of said Muru.

"Yes, I agree." Her sister added, smiling, "It suits your personality." Tarmikos smiled halfheartedly and nodded his thanks.

Soon they indulged in conversation once more, which lasted well into the night. The silent prince soon forgot what had happened and happily indulged in the animated conversation. The true personality of the Muruien twins began to shine through, revealing themselves as lively, energetic people. Very similar to the elven twins, they noted, disheartened. Perhaps it was natural for twins to be that way. Or it could just be that the Valar has something against them.

Soon, fatigue from long days of traveling began to catch up with them and the calling of their beds was all too tempting. One by one, they excused themselves to their chambers and soon found the relief of sleeping in a soft bed once more.

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The borders of the forest rose up not even a mile away. The two elves could make out the green canopy in the distance and the ellon could feel a strange sensation the closer they got to it. But they would not be going in any time soon. Darkness took the land and it would be folly to try to navigate the thick forest. Instead, they decided to stop and make camp, then attempt crossing the borders the next day.

Norui had his hood drawn up again, concealing his features. Both he and Iaurtondariel had barely acknowledged each other ever since the episode on the rocks. They stayed far away from each other, making sure their gazes did not meet. Once a camp had been set up, the ellon went to wander to a place the elleth knew not of, while she was content to just stare into the fire, taking small bites of the food in her hand. Espenshade was left to waddle uncomfortably on the ground for the area was bare of any type of tree.

She did not know how long she sat there, her eyes taking in the licking flames. She pulled her cloak about her shoulders, then brought her knees to her chest and rested her head. She watched the falcon peck at small insects on the ground, and then sighed. There were few stars out that night and clouds concealed the moon. Uneasiness was the only thing she felt.

A bundle of small branches was tossed down beside her and she jumped at the sudden noise. Her head whipped around to see the dark haired prince dusting off his hands, and then striding over to his pack. He withdrew a small piece of bread, then returned to the fire and sat down on the opposite side. He did not look at the elleth once. Iaurtondariel glanced up at him quickly, and then back down to the berries she held in her hand.

"Norui?" She called carefully. He jolted slightly, as if startled at her being there, and then looked up from his own food.

"Yes?" He replied. She shifted uncomfortably; all too aware of his emerald eyes watching her intently.

"I apologize about my forwardness today." She said, dragging her bare feet in the earth, "I honestly did not mean anything by it; I was just trying to help."

"Oh, yes." He muttered, swallowing a bite of the bread, "Well, what's done is done; nothing can change that. It is in the past." He smiled slightly, "You need not ask for forgiveness."

"Thank you, my lord." A shy smile broke upon her face and the prince returned it, though reluctantly. He did not like the way she smiled at him; it made him uneasy. Perhaps it was just his imagination but even so, he wished that they would reach the Muruien city soon. The less time they spent together, the easier it would be for her to forget. He would have to tell her soon but not now. Not now when he was still unsure of the hidden meaning behind her furtive glances and shy smiles. But it wouldn't hurt to dig a little deeper into the idea before he drew his conclusion.

"So, my lady, do you have anyone waiting for you? Friends, family?" He questioned. He tucked back a stray hair that had escaped from his hood.

"No, I can't say I do. I may have aunts or uncles- anyone on my father's side- but I have never met them." She answered, biting her lip.

"Ah, I see." He mumbled to himself, "So I take it you have never been there before."

"That is correct. I've lived with Maladiel all my life."

"Then I guess the assumption that you would have a lover somewhere would be false as well." He asked casually as glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Slowly but steadily, a faint pink dusting rose up on her cheeks and she smiled, shaking her head.

"Nay, I do not."

There was that smile again and it made him shudder. Not out of distaste or annoyance but out of reluctance that he may have to turn her away.

"I am sorry to hear that." He said quietly, never looking directly up at her. He could feel her questioning gaze on him and he feared that he had given her the wrong impression. He mentally punched himself; that would just make matters worse.

"Tell me about your home, Norui. Being a prince, I'm sure life would be interesting." The prince furrowed his brow in thought.

"If by interesting, you mean demanding and aggravating, then yes." He answered, smiling slightly and she chuckled softly, "But it is alright, I guess. I can't imagine it is much different from your own life. My Ada expects much of me, as do my people, but I deal with it." He finished with a shrug.

"Oh." She was clearly expecting more. He didn't say anything else, just wrapping his arms loosely around his knees and gazing up at the starless sky. It was obvious he was uneasy but she could not figure out why. Perhaps speaking of his home, no matter how little, had awoken some memories that he wished to forget for the time. But, even so, she could not quell the curiosity that was natural with her.

"Well, what about you? Who is waiting for your return?" She continued.

"Hmm, my Ada, of course." He answered, still not looking at her, "A few friends though I do not know the fate of them. For all I know, they may be under the curse of that twisted creature." He said this last part bitterly, his features twisting into a scowl. Iaurtondariel frowned. She reached for one of the sticks Norui had set beside the fire and began tracing fine lines into the earth. Espenshade cackled quietly a little ways off. The elleth took a deep, shuttering breath.

"A lover?"

Norui looked up at her sharply, already fearing the worst. He found she would not meet his gaze and his heart skipped a beat. His mouth opened to speak but he quickly closed it, eyes glancing quickly between her and the fire.

"Well, uh…Oh, Iaurtondariel, I-"

"I am sorry, my lord, I shouldn't have asked." She quickly amended, "It is none of my business."

"No, no! It's all right. It's just…difficult." He assured her and she nodded slowly. He racked his mind for the right thing to tell her. Now would be the perfect time to let her know about Glithiel but he was not even sure if she was still alive. She could have succumbed to the Muru's hold long ago though he still felt that tie within himself; the tie that told him his love still lived. Besides, even if she had passed, he would never be able to love another if he did not pass to Mandos's Halls. He sighed, running his hands over his pale face, "I do not know."

Iaurtondariel furrowed her brow at her response. What did that mean? How could he not know? Perhaps he loved someone but they didn't return his affections. Maybe his father set up an arranged marriage. A heavy frown set upon her lips.

"Norui, what do you mean?" The Crown Prince looked between his spread fingers with tired eyes. He sighed, shaking his head, and stood up.

"We need to get some rest." He said hurriedly, and then strode off to his bedroll, leaving the elleth alone by the fireside.

So what did that mean? She had gotten no answer to her question from that response. He was unwilling to talk about it, so perhaps that was a good sign. For her, at least. She only wished that she would receive a straight answer from the ellon. The elleth buried her face in her arms, rocking herself gently on her haunches. What did it mean?

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

"Legolas, what are you doing?"

The golden haired prince looked up to see Jaimea sitting upon the bed, clad in a nightgown she had found in the wardrobe, with her arms crossed over her chest. The ellon looked down to the blanket he held in his hand, then back up to her face. He shrugged with a small smile on his face.

"Nothing." He answered. The elleth rolled her eyes in a very un-elflike way and crawled over to the side to let her legs dangle.

"You've never had a problem sleeping next to me before. How is this so different?"

"Because it was outside before. This time, it is in a bed." He retorted, crossing his own arms. She quirked her brow.

"So?"

"'So'? This is completely wrong! Indecent! Against everything that I've ever been taught!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. She only chuckled, sliding off the bed, and then coming to stand before him.

"You are just being paranoid, my prince." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, "No one is here to see it. Everything is fine." A grin slowly formed upon her face and she kissed his chin, "Come on." He paused for a moment, then a soft moan escaped his lips and he nodded.

"Fine." He mumbled and slipped away from her. Jaimea laughed softly, then crawled back into the bed and settled underneath the blankets. She watched as Legolas reluctantly slid under the covers, a troubled look on his face. She grinned playfully and, much to his shock, slid quickly over to him and reached out to him, "What are you doing?" He cried, moving away.

"Come, you cannot sleep like that! Get comfortable and relax." She laughed.

"Maybe if you wouldn't come after me like that." He muttered and she shook her head in exasperation.

"Don't be so paranoid, Legolas." She said, "You aren't doing anything wrong."

"I'm not paranoid…" He retorted gently.

"Then come and rest. Stop worrying."

He studied her for a moment, then sighed in defeat and moved back into the middle of the bed. Jaimea smiled at him, coming to lie beside him. Much to her surprise, considering that he had just been completely against the idea of sleeping in the same bed, he put his arms around her waist and rested his chin on top of her head.

"See? This isn't so bad." She scolded playfully, resting her head on his collarbone. He grumbled in response.

"You are completely different when you are with others, you know." He commented softly, "You act differently around me." He heard her sigh and she pulled herself closer to his body.

"I don't feel like I have to hide anything from you." She answered softly.

"What would you have to hide?"

"Nothing…you just make me comfortable."

This brought a smile to the young ellon's lips and he kissed her forehead, his hands twisting in her golden hair. Her hands trailed down his shoulders and rested on his back, rubbing in slow circles. The prince's lips strayed down to her cheek, her chin, the corner of her mouth, and then finally rested gently on her lips. He felt her sigh into his mouth as she granted him entrance and he explored her mouth tenderly. The kiss was careful and easy, unlike most of the previous kisses that they had shared. Both elves found they liked this way better.

Despite everything in him screaming that he shouldn't be doing this, he let his hands roam to her back and he pulled her even closer. She showed no resistance though a giggle came forth. He struggled not to, but he found himself moaning softly into her mouth. The giggle grew into a laugh and the elleth pulled away from him, her eyes alight. He looked at her questioning, his own eyes glazed.

"Someone has had a change of minds." She teased, grinning, and he blushed with a smile.

"Forgive me, I couldn't help myself." He replied, "Come, we need to rest." Jaimea nodded once, then returned to rest her head on his chest. He, once again, wrapped his arms around her and was soon lost to oblivion.

**XXXXX**

**Alright! Look how long this is, wow! Seventeen pages in MSWord and 7265 words total! And to think, I was going to continue! Hehe but nope! You have to wait more! Because of the length of the chapter, I'll cut this short. Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing! **

**Thank you, Ty, for betaing this extra long chapter:D If I were in your shoes, I'd just toss it away to finish 'later'. Hehe. Thanks again! And HI CREEP::grin:**

**And while you are here, go look at the pretty painting I did on Artpad! If it doesn't work and you want to see it, let me know in your review and I'll email it to you! **

**http/ artpad .art. com /gallery ?isr7 cwdwsjs**

**Okay, bye bye, peoples! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	40. Coming Back to Haunt

**Hihi, people! I hope you all liked the last chapter, even if you didn't review. HINT HINT! Ehem…anywho! Here's the 40th chapter! Yay! Forty chapters…wow…Hehe. And we still got a little while to go! Huzzah! **

**Okay, I ask everyone again: Please, tell me which story after this would you like to see? I have a whole list of planned stories on my bio but I need to know which ones you want to read. I also have two other stories that aren't posted: A) One that follows the epilogue of 'Call of the Red Bird' or B) the sequel to this! **

**Alright! Let's get on with the chapter! PLEASE remember to let me know! **

'…' **represents Tarmikos mouthing his words…Man, I really need to think of something else for that. Any suggestions? **

**XXXXX**

Chapter 40- Coming Back to Haunt

The bright rays of the sun peeked over the mountaintops in the east, coloring the sky in a beautiful pink and orange scheme. As it rose higher into the sky, light filtered down upon the still bodies of two elves, both wrapped tightly in their blankets. The remains of a fire still smoldered slightly, sending a thin fog of smoke into the air. A small falcon was perched upon a small boulder that jetted out from the ground, the remnants of an animal in its talons. Its head quirked slightly when the bright sun casted light on its golden feathers, and it cackled.

Norui had slept very little that night, kept awake by the nightly noises and the dreams that ran rampant in his mind. It was an ongoing process: hover between sleep and consciousness, have rest for an hour or so, then jolt awake by a dream that was all too vivid. Normally, elves did not dream, unless it was foretelling something, and the only thing that occupied the ellon's dreams was the one back in Mirkwood that he loved, Glithiel, and the one who slept only a few feet away, Iaurtondariel. More then once he found himself jerking awake with the feeling of his lover beside him.

A sigh from the elleth a few feet away caught his attention and he looked over at her tiredly. Her eyes unglazed as her long arms stretched over her head, shaking away the last remnants of sleep. A muffled groan escaped her lips as the light entered her eyes and she rolled over hurriedly.

"Blasted sun." She muttered under her breath, draping one arm over her face. The Crown Prince chuckled softly and he sat up on his elbows.

"Good morning, my lady." He said quietly, followed by a large yawn. A grunt was her response and he raised his eyebrow, "What is this? An elf who dislikes mornings? That is most unusual."

"It is not the morning I dislike." She retorted, "It is the sun glaring in my eyes as soon as I wake up." A grin split across the ellon's face.

"Well, then perhaps you shouldn't look at the sun as soon as you wake up." He said and the elleth turned sharply to look at him, "It is not the sun's fault that you just happened to look up." Iaurtondariel growled at him between her teeth and he chuckled.

"It's not funny, my lord."

"Oh, of course not. Forgive me." He could not help another grin and he stood up before she had a chance to argue, "I am going to prepare everything to leave; get ready." And with that, he strode off without another word. The elleth continued to watch him through narrowed eyes as he picked up their scattered items from the ground.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Within an hour, the two elves had started out once again. They let their pace lessen some and, instead, they enjoyed talking leisurely and carelessly. The events of the night before did not pass their lips and if either of them thought about it, they said nothing. As the ellon said, what's done is done. It is best forgotten.

Though it was certainly on the elleth's mind as the Crown Prince laughed and talked animatedly to her about the antics of his youth. He had not really answered her question but she would not mention it, not yet. For once, he seemed truly happy and she had no desire to mess that up. Before we get to the city, she told herself, I will find out what he meant last night.

"Are you listening, my lady Rusc?"

Iaurtondariel looked up quickly at the ellon's questioning eyes and she nodded vigorously, "Yes, of course I am." She lied. A smirk slowly grew upon his lips.

"Oh really? What did I just say then?" The smirk turned into a grin when she opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. She cleared her throat softly.

"You were speaking of your childhood in Mirkwood." She answered, praying she had guessed right.

"No, I finished talking of that about twenty minutes ago." He replied and she flushed from embarrassment, "I was talking about green mûmak dancing in the gardens of Imladris."

"What?" She questioned, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Just to see if you were paying attention." Her blush deepened and he smacked his shoulder playfully.

"Forgive me, my lord." She said hastily and he smiled gently.

"Are you alright, Iaurtondariel? You seem troubled. What's on your mind?"

All right, this was her chance. Now was the time to ask him, no matter the consequences. She may never have the same opportunity again. With this in mind, she straightened up and sighed deeply.

"I was-" She saw the ellon look over to her expectantly and she found her resolve failing. She looked between him and the ground, her fingers fidgeting, "Nothing. It is nothing."

Norui frowned at her and looked forward again, "Oh, alright."

It was a war zone in the elleth's head. Why didn't you tell him, she screamed at herself, that was the perfect chance! It may never come again and she blew it! She struggled to not smack herself in the face.

But the ellon knew what it was that was running through his companion's head. He knew exactly what it was and he found himself blaming his own actions for the tension between them. He should have told her the night before that he had someone already. That would have rid them of unease and they wouldn't be as they were now.

'Now is the right time, just do it.' He told himself, 'It is nothing to be nervous about at all.'

"My lady?" He began quietly, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to tense for a moment, her hands brushing her hair behind her in a sense of anxiousness.

"Yes, my lord?" Norui opened his mouth to continue but found he could not. A long scar running up her neck had captured his eyes. He furrowed his brow.

"What happened?" He asked, "Where did that scar come from?" Iaurtondariel looked at him in confusion, her heart still fluttering from anticipation, and she quirked her head. When he motioned towards her neck, she laughed softly and nodded.

"Oh, that." She said, "It happened many years ago. Maladiel and I were practicing magic and such and she got a little carried away. That is all, really. No harm done."

"Ah, I see." He murmured, "Is it alright?"

"Yes, it happened a long time ago, my lord. I assure you it causes me no pain." She grinned but it was returned with a small frown.

"Why do we address each other as such, Iaurtondariel? Why is it 'my lord' and 'my lady' between us?" The elleth glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It is out of respect, my lord. We are friends though I feel indebted to you."

"But that is not good enough for you, is it?"

The elleth paused in her steps to look at him curiously. His frown had deepened as he came to a halt beside her. She studied his face, searching for any clues of his meaning. She willed herself to keep from cowering under the tension that had sparked between them.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, her heart pounding in her chest.

"It is more then friendship that you seek."

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The silk curtains billowed gently as the cool wind wafted into the room. The sun casted light in a long beam into the room, which landed on the opposite side of the silver walls. A bird called softly outside the window, alerting the inhabitants of the forest of the dawn. All was silent in the room, and nothing stirred. The breeze continued to blow into the room, brushing past the elleth sleeping on the bed.

Jaimea sighed softly, wrapping her arms around her body. She was barely aware of her surroundings, only knowing that either the wind was excruciatingly cold or the blankets covering her were not that thick. The breeze blew across her feet and she quickly recoiled her legs up to her chest. She patted around behind her in an attempt to claim more of the blankets but found only a sheet. The elleth furrowed her brow and focused her eyes; the covers had completely disappeared.

With a groan, she rolled over quickly to see the golden haired ellon cocooned tightly in the fluffy blankets. She stared at him for a moment in annoyance, shock and confusion. The prince was in a complete state of dishevelment, his long hair spread wildly on the pillow and only the top of his head visible from under the wrappings. Jaimea muttered under her breath and tugged on the blankets.

"Legolas, give me some of those." She grunted in a very un-elflike way.

"Mmph…" Was his reply and he tightened his hold on the blankets.

"I'm cold, Legolas!"

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am! Now give them to me!" She growled. He groaned and shook his head, scooting away from her and balancing precariously on the edge of the bed, "Legolas!"

The ellon's eyes shot open when there was a massive shove on his back and he found himself toppling over the edge. He cried out in shock when he slammed against the floor, unable to shield his fall.

"Now, Legolas, are you ready to give them up?" She questioned, grinning, and she looked over the bed. But he had disappeared and she furrowed her brow, "My lord?" She called, leaning over the side.

A pair of arms suddenly slipped around her waist and she found herself crying out in surprise as she was flipped over onto her back. Hair tousled, she looked up with wide eyes into the sparking cerulean ones of Legolas, grinning down at her. She continued to stare at him in shock for a moment until a scowl formed on her face.

"Good morning, my lady." He greeted, almost too cheerfully.

"You insufferable elf." Suddenly, she shoved her knee into his stomach and he gasped in pain. With a triumphant grin, she promptly shoved him off the edge.

Before they knew it, they found themselves engaged in a playful tussle on the bed that the maids would find very entertaining trying to put together again. Growls and scratches turned into excited laughter and playful tackling. Sure, it may not be the best of things for one to stumble upon but what did that matter? It certainly didn't matter to them.

And that is exactly what happened.

The door swung upon to reveal a very bedraggled and tired Estel, his eyes still hazed from sleep. Both elves stopped in mid-action at his arrival, Jaimea's fingers wrapped around the prince's neck and the ellon's teeth clamped onto her upper arm. The human froze in the doorway, his eyes suddenly gone wide. He looked between the two and cleared his throat.

"I won't ask." He muttered, shaking his head. Legolas grinned and let the elleth go who promptly removed her hands from the ellon and hurriedly covered herself with the pillows scattered on the bed.

"Yes, Estel?" The ellon said, crossing his legs and leaning back on his hands.

"Lady Leneya informed us breakfast will be served shortly." He said, keeping his eyes averted, "Afterwards, the King and Mithrandir have called a meeting that you will be expected to attend." He glanced at them up and down once more, "And I suggest you prepare yourselves for the day." And with that, he shut the door behind him with a soft click. Once out of the hearing range of the two, he muttered under his breath, "Crazy elves."

The golden haired ellon continued to grin as he turned to face the blushing elleth. She looked at him, the elated twinkle still in her eye, and she returned his smile.

"Well, that was interesting." She said softly and he laughed.

"Hmm, indeed it was, my lady." He replied, moving to sit beside her. She quirked her brow at him when he rested his head on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist. It suddenly occurred to her that it wasn't the most proper thing in the world, to be tussling with an ellon while in a nightgown, but she did not mention it. For the moment, she was content to just rest her cheek on the top of his head.

"Ai, Jaimea, where is it that you have been hiding for all of those lonely years?" He whispered after a moment, reaching out to take her hands in his.

"Waiting for you, my prince." She answered just as softly, "Waiting for you to come out of that shell you encased yourself in, allowing the world to pass you by." He smiled at this and lifted his head, bringing his hands to her cheeks.

"You have given me much, my lady, and I will always love you for that. My savior in the form of an innocent elleth." She smiled as he placed a kiss on her forehead, then rose from the bed, "Come, we should get ready as Estel said." He grinned cheekily, "Besides, we've destroyed this room. Why not move on to destroying the bath chambers?" The elleth laughed at this and the prince found himself grinning wider. It pleased him to hear her and see her so carefree. For a moment, he almost forgot that his last brother had perished.

Almost.

What he did notice, though, was that the pain of his passing seemed to subside not too many nights ago. He no longer felt that empty void in his soul that would normally be filled with his brother's presence. This feeling confused him to no end. The only thing that could come to his mind was that he had been restored but it was too soon for that. Elves would wait years, ages, for a second chance at life if that chance came at all. But what was this feeling then?

Breakfast proved to be quite interesting and refreshing. Various exotic fruits and biscuits were scattered in wicker baskets along the fine tables. The sweet smells of pastries floated down the expanse of the table and they all made a note not to drool over the crispy bacon and steaming eggs being served around. Of course, the elves in the group didn't touch either one but they sure looked delicious, meat or not. Aromas, both spicy and sweet, wafted gently out from what they assumed were the kitchens and danced enticingly under their noses. At the far end of the table sat the silver haired King of the city, garbed in a robe of pale blues and his hair braided intricately down his back. The old wizard sat beside him, talking idly, along with Leneya at his other side. Much to their surprise, the two twin princes were nowhere to be seen.

There were more then a few people that shot the company curious looks throughout the event. Whispers and murmurs were spread all along the tables until the whole population, those in the room that is, knew of them. As is expected, those oblivious to their purpose quickly took up crafting their own guess at why they were there. After all, it is not everyday a group of elves, a human, and a wizard show up with the princes as their guide.

The companions couldn't help but notice the tension that seemed to be radiating off of the Noldor twins. Elrohir seemed to shrink in his chair, taking small bites out of his meal. Elladan, on the other hand, seemed very much alive and livid. He would stab at the fruit on his plate with his knife and shove it in his mouth roughly, then glance at his younger brother with a scowl. They found they were very much amused by it though the Muru beside him didn't seem to find it funny at all; there was a constant look of disgust on his face and he tended to have his nose lifted in the air in a sense of superiority.

"What is wrong with you?" Estel questioned, watching his cup as he swirled the orange liquid it contained. It smelled sweet but, as he had already found from experience, its scent was deceiving.

"Nothing." Elladan grunted, slamming his glass on the table. The Muru beside him growled under his breath.

"It sure seems like something." The man continued, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"It is nothing."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it is not!"

"Would you _please_ be quiet, just for a moment!" The Muru exclaimed, slamming down his cup in much the same manner the dark haired Peredhil had done. His pale face had gone flushed from annoyance as he glared daggers at the ellon. Elladan gritted his teeth, returning the Muru's glare with his own.

"Would _you_ please mind your own business or would you prefer to wear this fork in your forehead?" He snapped.

"Elladan!" They admonished simultaneously, glaring fiercely at him. The Muru seemed taken aback but did reply, only snorting and holding himself even higher. The elf grunted under his breath, then continued stabbing at his food.

"What has gotten into you?" Arwen hissed, "What is wrong?" The ellon looked up at her quickly, a scowl on his face.

"It is nothing you should be concerned about, sister." He answered, clearly struggling to keep his temper in check.

"But we are worried about you, Elladan. You have not been yourself ever since we came to this city." Melyanna commented. The ellon glanced over to her, his face strained. He fought within himself, his mind racing. It could be nothing, really. Perhaps he was just getting a little homesick.

"You've been very irritable and angry."

The clanking of the silverware on the plates echoed in his ears, drowning out the chatter in the halls and the concerned voices of his companions. Panic began to rise up at this realization and his eyes grew wild with fear. The scratching of fork and knife on plate resonated painfully until that was all he could hear. He looked up in desperation at the other's worried faces, their lips moving though he could not make out a sound of it. A dark haze began to form around the edges of his sight and there was a prickling sensation on his skin, slowly creeping up his arms and down to his stomach. He saw the frown on his friends' face deepen and Arwen stood.

"Elladan, perhaps you should rest." She suggested but he could not reply, "Elladan?"

_Elladan, Elladan, Elladan. _It boomed in his ears and he gritted his teeth, clamping his hands over his sensitive ears. _Elladan? _The calls grew louder as his sister grew more frightened. Those around him stopped their meal and watched on in confusion and curiosity. _Elladan!_

"Elladan?" A voice suddenly called behind him and a hand rested on his shoulder. The elf jolted forward, bracing himself on the smooth table. His breath came short and ragged, a cold sweat running down his forehead. His dilated eyes gazed around quickly at those along the table. Even the King and Mithrandir had stopped to watch him, "My lord Elladan, are you alright?"

The elf turned to look up at the one behind him. He was met with the worried blue eyes of the Muru prince, Ricamros. A small frown was on his face as he took his hand away.

"Is something wrong?" The ellon swallowed hard then shook his head.

"No, I'm fine, just tired." He replied weakly, looking back down at his food. He did not look back up at his companions, just spending the rest of the meal in silence. His siblings continued to watch over him with concern and fear in their eyes. What had just happened? They looked to the Muruien twins who had taken a seat across from them. They only frowned and shook their heads, unable to give them an answer.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

By mid-day, the group found themselves being led down a large corridor and through a set of large doors. Once again, Elrohir couldn't help but notice the brass handles shaped into that of the large cat he had seen upon arrival in the forest. He seemed to have developed a phobia of the creature. Upon entering, they were surprised to see Mithrandir was already seated, taking quietly with the King who sat behind an ornately decorated desk. Papers were scattered messily on the table, some having already slipped to the floor, and a ink pot sat precariously on the edge. A white plumed pen was mixed in with the mess. Leneya sat in a burgundy colored chair off in the corner, watching them carefully as they entered and took a seat upon the various chairs in the room.

Judeqir smiled slightly at the sight of them and they returned it, bowing their heads. He looked them over quickly, as did the old wizard, and he frowned.

"I thought there were more of you." He stated, "Where are the others?"

"My brother is…occupied at the moment, my lord." Elrohir answered, bowing his head again, "My sister is tending to him in his chambers." The Muru's frown deepened and he placed his fingers to his lips in thought.

"Would it be better to discuss these matters at another time?" He suggested.

"No! No, of course not, my king." The ellon said hurriedly, "Please, now is fine." Judeqir nodded once, then leaned back into his seat. He glanced over to the Istar and Mithrandir smiled slightly, and then turned to his companions. They gave him their full attention.

"I must ask for your forgiveness that I have not spoken with you since our arrival." He began and they smiled, some shrugging it off, "But I have been discussing our problem with the King, as you might have imagined. He knows of our intent though I am not sure of his decision just yet." He glanced over to the silver haired Muru who was watching his fingers weave together, deep in thought, "We thought it appropriate that you'd be here when he announces his answer."

The company watched with baited breath as the tall Muru rested his arms on his desk, his head hanging. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he ran his hands tiredly over his face and through his hair. He seemed to age right before their very eyes and Leneya squirmed anxiously in her seat.

"It is important to consider the wider implications of making such a decision." He said slowly, "Should you fail, the whole race of Muruien will crumble into nothing. If this task is not complete in one day, the lords, ladies, and children will fall. Innocence has nothing to do with it. This could bring the death of us all." His voice spoke of power and authority, so strong that no one would question it. His words were grave and they felt doubt instill itself in their hearts.

"Aye, we know of this." Legolas answered. He felt the responsibility to take up his brother's role of leadership now that he was gone though he felt himself failing miserably at it. His fears had subsided slightly but they were not yet completely gone.

"And yet you are still willing to risk our world to save yours." The king directed at him, his blue eyes fierce. The young prince did not waver.

"Realms will fall, either way. Should we fail, both will perish. If you do nothing, it is imminent that Mirkwood will collapse." He stated and Judeqir frowned.

"You are only adding to my reluctance to lower our powers. What are you trying to say, my lord?"

"Even if we do fail, your dying memory will be that at least you tried. You fell doing a good deed, helping those who seek your aid. You tried to make a difference in the fate of both peoples. That, in itself, should inspire you."

The king tapped his chin in thought, watching the golden haired ellon with careful eyes. Legolas did not let his eyes fall from the Muru's, determined to show his strength, though he felt his innards flipping in his nervousness. This was a complete change in his demeanor and he only prayed the King did not notice it. He was barely aware of his companions staring between him and the Muru with hopeful eyes.

"Do you even have the faintest idea of where to begin your search for that demon?" He spat in distaste, not at the elf but at the thought of the one who betrayed his people. Legolas faltered slightly but did not le how.

"No, my lord. We do not."

"Do you think it would be more wise, perhaps, to find where he is hiding before blundering into the forest as we sit here and twiddle our thumbs, watching as the sun falls behind the mountains, waiting for the grip of death to claim us as it appears once again?"

The prince paused before saying, "That would be folly. We would not risk that."

"At least, you are not blind to the dangers presented in doing this." Judeqir said with a smile, his face relaxing slightly.

They sat in nerve-racking silence once more as the King fell into deep thought again. Legolas watched him expectantly, holding his breath, and he vaguely felt someone slip their hand into his. He looked over to see his eldest sister gazing at him, a small yet meaningful smile on her lips. The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Though my mind tells me not to, my heart has its own will." He began, looking up at them all with a smile, "I will accept your request and drop the powers of the Muruien so that you may attempt to take back your kingdom."

Relieved gasps and sighed echoed throughout the room. Grins split upon their faces as their bodies visibly relaxed, slipping down in their seats as the tension left them.

"Thank you so much, my lord." Was said over and over from the companions, bringing a huge grin to the Muru. He shrugged it off as if it were nothing, then placed his hands on his desk.

"Of course, there is one condition." He said and they silenced.

"Anything, my lord." Legolas said, still grinning.

"I would prefer it if the ladies in your group stayed behind on this one." The excitement quickly died down and the smiles faded. They looked between one another, whispering and frowning. Judeqir watched them patiently.

"But they have been with us the whole time. Surely, we can not exclude them at the final stage." Estel commented softly, looking up at the silver haired lord, his forehead creased into a frown, "We cannot forget them. They have as much strength and courage as we do."

"I understand your concern, my lord, and be assured that I mean no offense." He stated, "But you do not realize the danger you place yourselves in. This Muru is deadly and unpredictable. He cannot be found if he does not want to be and if he does, you can be guaranteed he will find you first."

"But, my lord-"

"I do not want the death of a lady on my hands, my friends. I am sorry but that is final. They either stay or no deal."

Two identical scowls appeared on the Mirkwood princesses' faces, crossing their arms over their chests angrily, while Jaimea seemed to be impassive about it. Thinking back on every other time she had been forced to engage in battle, she always ended up needing rescue. No, better to stay safe and wait in the palace.

"My sister will not agree to this lightly." Elrohir muttered, "She is a warrior and cannot be kept behind to watch."

"I can say nothing except I am sorry." The Muru said again, folding his hands on the table, "I do not do anyone's skill but I would prefer it if they were safe, as I have repeatedly said."

"I suppose we must agree." Legolas answered finally though not without a frown, "It is either that or return to Mirkwood with this mission only half complete, accepting the death of our people."

"So then you agree to this?"

"Aye, we do." He sighed, slumping in his chair. He could feel the glares of his sisters boring into his head. He cringed when he caught Melyanna's glinting eyes and he sunk even lower. They had to agree, he told himself, or Ada will perish, if he hasn't already. He willed this thought away, shaking his head, and then looked back to the King, "We are forever in your debt, my lord. Thank you."

"Is it nothing, I assure you." He replied, smiling slightly, "Would you like my sons to accompany you? I would myself, as eager as I am to finally find that foul creature and serve him his rightful punishment for his crime, but I fear I am becoming too old for such things. Tarmikos and Ricamros are still young and full of vigor; they would be a valuable asset." Leneya seemed to sit up quickly at this suggestion, her heart pounding in her chest. That was certainly not something she expected and was not particularly fond of the idea either. What if something happened to them? But despite her inner battle, she remained silent, her lips thin.

"I suppose if they are able." The golden haired prince said softly, glancing between his companions. He kept his eyes away from his sisters, shivering every once in a while from their harsh gaze, "They would be very helpful, indeed."

"I, too, have something to announce." The old wizard, still sitting beside the Muru's desk, suddenly said. Everyone looked to him in surprise as if they had forgotten he had even been there.

"Yes, Mithrandir?" Estel said.

"I regret to say that I will not be able to join you in your search."

"What!"

"Mithrandir, you cannot be serious!"

"We need you!"

Mithrandir chuckled softly as pleading words were thrown at him from the shocked group. Their faces were a mixture of shock, disbelief, and anger. The Istar had traveled with them this whole time and kept them safe. Why would he leave now? It was unheard of that the powerful wizard could be frightened. What was it, then?

"Please, my friends, you do not need me to guide you. I have done nothing to help you the whole time we have traveled together. You never needed me to begin with."

"Of course we did, Mithrandir!" Melyanna cried, "We would have gotten no where without your direction."

"You doubt your judgment, my lady. I am positive you would have arrived with no difficulties. Your own love and hope would have been your guide. You do not need me; this is your task, and yours alone." He explained, "I have made my decision and cannot be swayed otherwise."

They all opened their mouths to retort once more but quickly thought better of it. They knew from experience that what he had said was true: he could not be swayed. So, with some grunts of disappointment, they relaxed into their seats once more. His long, grey beard muffled Mithrandir's chuckle; his eyes alight with mirth. Judeqir smiled once more and fell back into his chair.

"I suppose it is settled then. I release my powers, the ladies and wizard stay behind, and you defeat the Muru before the next day." He said slowly, "I wish you luck." They inclined their heads, muttering their thanks under their breath, "You are excused."

"Thank you ever so much, my lord." They said, smiling. He only shrugged and rested his head on his fist.

But they were unaware of two people listening outside the door.

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"What are they saying?"

It went ignored.

"Tarmikos, what's going on?"

He was answered with a smack on the arm and he went silent for a moment. When his brother made no signs of answering him, he sighed in annoyance.

"Tarmikos?" And, once again, he went ignored. He growled, "Give me that!" He reached quickly for the glass the younger Muru had pressed to the door, his ear on the other end as he listened in on the conversation. When he saw his brother reaching for the glass, he quickly rolled out of the way with a glare on his face. He mouthed to him, 'No.' And he clutched the glass protectively. Ricamros scowled.

"Please?"

'No.'

"Why?"

'No.'

"Blast it, Tarmikos! Give me the glass!"

And so any secrecy of their doings went fluttering out the window as the older Muru prince tackled his silent brother to the ground with a yell. Tarmikos grit his teeth together, kicking the Muru over his head to land with a grimace on the marble floors behind him. His hand gripped tightly on the crystal glass, nearly shattering it in his own hands. He sprang up quickly and found his brother still lying on the floor, growling under his breath.

As if sensing Tarmikos coming to a stand, Ricamros leapt up as quickly as he could without injuring himself anymore and glared. It did not occur to them how childish this was- both were as stubborn as a mule and were not prepared to accept defeat.

All because of a drinking glass.

Without warning, Ricamros charged forward, catching the younger prince off guard as he collided with his stomach. Tarmikos let out an 'oof', sending the glass flipping through the air and everything seemed to freeze.

It was almost a surreal image to the twins, watching the delicate glass tumble head over heels through the air as if in slow motion. The sunlight pouring in through the window glittered off its rim, twinkling back at them. Paintings were distorted through the cup and slowly, their faces twisted to that of panic.

"Grab it, Tarmikos!" The prince cried, hurrying forward and reaching blindly into the air. The younger Muru didn't need telling twice as he, too, charged forward. As if teasing them, it slipped through Ricamros's fingers as he grabbed for it. And just as it was about to crash to the ground, Tarmikos made a dive for it and he felt it fall into his awaiting hands. The breath was sucked out of him as he skidded onto the floor, the sound of his brother's relieved shouts in his ears.

With a grin, he hopped to his feet once more and turned to his brother with a superior look on his face. The older Muru rolled his eyes with a smirk and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well done, my brother." He grinned.

"What is this!" Someone shouted from the doorway and Tarmikos yelped, unable to stop the glass from flinging from his fingers once more. They watched it with jaws agape as it shattered into countless pieces on the stone floor.

"Uh…nothing, Father." Ricamros said, willing his voice to stop from shaking, "We were just having a little fun, is all."

"Fun! You call this fun?" The King cried, red in the face, " Look at what you have done!"

"But, Father, it was just-"

"I do not care what it was! You have just succeeded in disrupting a very important meeting and disgraced yourselves and your name! What, pray tell, is your explanation for that?" Ricamros quickly shut his mouth, letting his head fall. Judeqir kept his steely eyes on his eldest for a moment longer, and then snapped his head in the other prince's direction. A deadly defiance was in Tarmikos's glaring eyes, matching the fire in his father's, "Well? What about you? Care to explain?"

He only raised his hand and pointed it directly at his older brother.

"What!" Ricamros cried, gaping at the silent Muru, "Why, you insolent little-"

"Elrohir!"

The said ellon perked up at the sound of his name and hurried out to see who it was. The king looked up from his argument, staring down the corridor as the voice grew closer. Within a few moments, the dark haired elleth sped around the corner, her blue eyes glittering with fear. Elrohir gasped and ran to his sister who promptly grabbed his hands in her own at their meeting.

"Hurry!" She cried, "Something is wrong!"

"What is it?" The ellon questioned, following her down the hall at a quickened pace.

"Something is wrong with Elladan!"

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Iaurtondariel froze, her heart constricting in her chest. _It is more then friendship that you seek_. He had guessed! Was it that obvious? She felt the blood slowly drain from her face and she swallowed hard, struggling to keep her eyes level with his. She could show weakness, not now. Everything around her seemed to silence itself; even the loyal Peregrine Falcon had stopped moving and was watching both elves intently.

"W-What?" Was the only thing that could come through her lips as her legs trembled.

"You heard me." Norui replied softly with no bitterness.

"But I don't understand…" She breathed, her eyes wide, and the ellon sighed as he ran his fingers slowly through his mahogany hair. His emerald eyes pleaded with her to figure out but she only stared back, unmoving in her stupor.

"Not long after I met you, I felt something coming from you. I did not know what it was at first but over time, it became clear." He began in a slow voice, "I knew your heart stirred upon seeing me."

The elleth swallowed hard once again, the blood rushing back up into her face to give off a dark blush. Her fingers began to play with the hem on her sleeve and she bit her lip. The Crown Prince continued to stare into her eyes, a frown on his lips.

"Iaurtondariel, I am sorry, but-"

His eyes widened as he found himself silenced by the elleth's lips on his own. His mind instantly flew back to his own lover in Mirkwood and he felt deep regret. He desperately wished that he never had to tell her anything and break her heart. When he made no signs of returning the kiss, Iaurtondariel pulled away quickly and turned away from him, tears brimming in her eyes. Norui watched her sadly, shuffling his feet.

"My lady?" He questioned gently, biting his bottom lip.

"Please, forgive me." She whispered, "That was bold of me."

"Iaurtondariel…"

And she did the only thing she could think of to do- run. Run as far away from the ellon and everything in the world as fast as she could. She had made a complete fool of herself and now he probably hated her. He never said he loved another but…he never said he didn't either. She heard him calling out her name, asking her to come back, but she did not reply. Her feet flew over the rocks and through the thick grasses, running blindly in no certain direction. She just wanted to be alone.

She cried out suddenly when her foot caught on a boulder peeking out of the earth, just waiting for a distracted traveler to trip himself. She landed on the ground with a thud, her breath leaving her body as tears started to fall. The soft footfalls of the ellon vibrated in the ground as he comes towards her; quickly bending down to set her up and she shoved him away.

"Stay away from me!" She cried, struggling to get on her feet though getting nowhere.

"Please, Iaurtondariel, listen to me for a moment." Norui said, grabbing onto her arm and pulling her back to his side.

"No, I want to be alone!" She breathed as she found herself enveloped in the ellon's arms, being rocked from side to side. She let her hands grip onto his tunic, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Hush, Lady Rusc, it is alright. Shh." He whispered into her ear, rubbing her back in comforting circles, "You have done no wrong. It is not your fault."

"How can you say that? I just kissed you!"

"It does not matter, I am not angry with you. I should have talked to you earlier, told you everything when you asked me that night." He ran his fingers through her dark hair comfortingly, slowly pulling her to rise. He whispered soothing words into her ear and he took her hands in his.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking slowly up into his emerald eyes. He paused for a moment, biting his lips, as he rubbed his thumbs over the tops of her hands.

"The day that we first found Mirkwood was under this Muru's power, I was…I was going to propose to an elleth that I had loved since I was only an elfling. She and I were very much in love and had been dreaming of one day calling one another husband and wife." He started, feeling the elleth take a deep breath, but he continued, "Had the Muru never appeared when he did, I would have been a married elf by now."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Iaurtondariel asked, frowning as the tears continued to fall down her cheeks.

"Because I was afraid to. I was afraid of hurting you."

"It would have made things a lot easier." She muttered sadly and even more guilt washed over his heart.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Iaurtondariel. I know I should have told you; it was wrong of me to give you the wrong impression." He said quickly, hugging her tighter, "I would never have been able to make you happy- Valar, I do not know if I will ever be able to make my lady happy."

Slowly, he took his hands away and put them on her cheeks, staring into her tearful eyes, and he said, "I know that there is some ellon- or maybe even a Muru- out there who would love you rightly, forever and a day. One who would fall asleep with you in his thoughts and wake up to find you still dancing over his mind.

"But I am not that ellon. I am sorry that I cannot make you happy but another has stolen my heart. And nothing can ever change that."

Slowly, the elleth took a deep breath and averted her eyes from his. She felt her heart tear apart though it did not feel as she thought it would. Instead of the despair and agony she was expecting, it was just a small pang of pain in the pit stomach. She chewed on her lips, allowing her fingers to play with the edge of her tunic.

"I understand." She said quietly, looking back up at him, "It would be wrong of my to try to turn you in another direction, if it were possible. Who is she? Who is the one who claimed your heart?"

"Her name is Glithiel, daughter to Rahir; she is a noble lady and one that I love very much." He replied, smiling despite himself as his mind crept back to the dark haired lady awaiting his arrival. He could picture her slim body dancing along in the crowds, her hair flying around her head and gown billowing and twirling around her. He could see the glitter in her emerald eyes as she grinned at him, her cheeks rosy. A warm feeling set inside his heart and he closed his eyes, smiling to himself.

"She sounds wonderful." Iaurtondariel said quietly, bringing the Crown Prince back to reality and he frowned slightly.

"I cannot begin to explain how sorry I am, my lady." He said, "I hope things will not change between us."

She looked away from him before answering, "Of course."

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Arwen burst through the chamber doors, her companions hot on her heels. She did not even bother to brush away her hair sticking to her face as she hurried to the edge of the bed where Elladan lay as if sleeping. The elleth stroked a quaking hand over his heated brow and she bit her lip anxiously. She was barely aware of her other brother coming to sit by her side, his eyes gazing over his twin's motionless form worriedly. The others stood in the doorway, watching.

"What is wrong with him?" Elrohir questioned, placing the back of his hand on the ellon's forehead but pulled it back with a hiss. He was burning up!

"I don't know." The elleth replied, trembling, "Perhaps he really wasn't feeling well at breakfast."

Judeqir pushed through into the room suddenly and hurried over to the ellon. The two siblings looked up at him desperately and he frowned. The elves moved out of the way as he bent down beside the dark haired elf, running his hand over his face. Carefully, he opened one eye and found the iris had rolled back into his head. His face visibly paled and he swallowed hard.

"My lord?" Elrohir questioned, reaching out to grab his sister's hand.

"It is as I feared, just by the sight of him." The king breathed.

"What? What is it?"

"I am afraid your brother is… under the power of the same Muru you are trying to hunt down."

**XXXXX**

**Ah! Look how long! Nineteen pages, almost! GASP! These are just getting longer and longer! Sorry in advance, Ty, for such lengthy chapters to correct. I assure you, it is not my intention! ;) **

**Alright, please review people! And don't forget to tell me which story you'd like to see next! And, if you don't really care, just give me a review anyway! It is much appreciated! Thanks for reading and I hope you liked this chapter! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	41. Show Them the Truth

**Hello again! Not many reviews…hissss. Ah well, maybe this time. Hope you like this! With that said, I present to you chapter forty-one of Lost in My Mind! **

_**Italics represent thought…you know, I really need to organize these things. By next chapter, I'll have a list that tells which each thing will represent. Okay…**_

**XXXXX**

Chapter 41- Show Them the Truth

"How are we going to get in there?"

"Hush."

"But my lady…"

"Be quiet!"

Two golden haired guards perked up at the sudden noise in the forest. They peered over the side of the walls, their sharp eyes piercing every shadow in the trees. One fingered the hilt of his sword anxiously while the other, older looking guard only watched. A bird called shrilly in the distance and they both sighed, relaxing their tension. With one last glance, they both turned away and resumed their idle chat. The older guard could not help but keep one ear fixed on the conversation and one on the happenings of the forest.

Turwaithiel scowled and took her hand away from Uhako's mouth. He glared at her and ran his hand through his silver locks in annoyance. His fingers got caught in a stubborn knot and he gritted his teeth.

"I don't understand how they can stand to have hair this long." He muttered but the maiden did not answer. Her dark blue eyes were fixed on the heavily guarded Muruien city of Banemera. It would be difficult indeed getting past the guards but it was not impossible.

"Be silent, Uhako." She whispered, "We cannot mess this up for our master."

With a snort, the man rolled his eyes and a bright light enveloped him. Turwaithiel watched him with mild curiosity and she smirked when a small, colorful bird appeared in his place. The creature quirked it's head at her and chirped softly. She watched as it spread its large wings and leapt into the air, sailing straight out of the forest and over the city walls. The guards did not even give the bird a second glance.

"Well, that was easy." Turwaithiel muttered under her breath and took the same form, sailing into the city after him.

Her beady eyes searched the ground for any sign of her companion and she caught him diving down behind a row of houses, his colorful feathers glinting in the sunlight. She followed him down to the ground and landed just as he returned to the form of Tarmikos. He crossed his arms and waited for her as she transformed as well. He smirked at her and she scowled. They did not need words to understand what each other were thinking: 'Now who's the smart one?' and a firm 'Shut up.'

"Alright, so now to the palace, right?" Uhako questioned as he fiddled with the feather tucked behind his pointed ear.

"That is correct." Turwaithiel replied, peeking out at the busy street, "But remember that you cannot speak to anyone. You're mute." He nodded.

"I know." He replied, also looking out, "What if someone stops us?"

"Then just keep quiet and let me take care of it, alright?" At his nod, the maiden took a deep breath and emerged out from behind the buildings with the man following behind her, his head down.

Almost immediately, cries of 'Hail Princes Ricamros and Tarmikos!' went up and Turwaithiel couldn't help but smile slightly at the attention. Sure, it wasn't exactly her they were praising bu till felt good. Trying to stay in character, she strode proudly down the center of the road with the occasional bow to the people. Uhako was struggling to hide a grin as he came up beside his lover.

"Getting a bit haughty, aren't you?" He snickered softly and was rewarded with a stern jab to the ribs.

"Hush!" She hissed out of the corner of her mouth, "You need to be silent lest someone hear you!"

But it was already too late.

"Mama!" A little girl cried, tugging on her mother's hand, "He said something! Prince Tarmikos said something!"

The chattering of the entire crowd seemed to die down and both 'princes' froze in their tracks, blood draining from their faces. Excited whispers went through the people and they watched their silent prince eagerly. The little girl who had announced the information was grinning, still tugging against her mother. Turwaithiel turned to face the male and, in an attempt to keep the act going, her eyes widened.

"Did you, brother?" She asked almost excitedly, "Did you speak?" Uhako looked between his lover and the people, eyes wide. A single drop of sweat rolled down his temple and he swallowed hard. Slowly, he shook his head to the negative. The little girl pouted at this.

"But I heard him!" She cried, "I know I did!" The woman holding her hand tightened her grip and pulled her back sternly.

"Hush, child. You are imagining things." She reprimanded and the girl looked on the verge of tears. Uhako sorely wished that he could just save her a punishment and speak but he knew that he would be the one in trouble if he did so. He kept his mouth shut, gazing at the little girl apologetically.

"Yes, my brother cannot speak and it is very unlikely he ever will again." Turwaithiel said to her, "You must have heard someone else." The maiden put her arm on Uhako's shoulder and pulled him gently, "Come along." She said softly. He grimaced slightly when he saw the angry shimmer in her eyes. He nodded once and she continued up the street. But before he followed her, his gaze returned to the little girl who still watched him sadly. His blue eyes darted around quickly, making sure no one was watching.

An astonished look came upon her face and she grinned when the 'prince' gave her a secretive wink. He placed his fingers to his lips to tell her not to speak and she nodded excitedly, biting her lips. He smiled softly, giving her one last glance, and he hurried after his companion.

As he neared the maiden, he could tell by her stiff posture that she was livid. She did have reason to, he supposed, but oh well. He felt a little better about himself, at least. When he came to walk beside her, he found her face had gone an angry red.

"I thought I told you not to speak." She growled dangerously and he frowned.

"Everything is fine now, love. No one found us out." He replied calmly.

"But you could have ruined the entire thing! All because of that blasted little brat and your idiocy!" The Muru's frown deepened and he crossed his arms.

"Do not speak of the girl that way. She did nothing wrong." Turwaithiel yelled out in agitation, throwing her hands in the air.

"Are you going soft on me, Uhako!" She cried, "Since when have you cared about the people in this pathetic city?" He did not reply, only glaring at the ruffled maiden. She snorted, rolling her eyes, and continued stalking towards the palace.

For the first time in his life, Uhako truly despised the Muru he called 'love'. He was half tempted to reveal their secret right then and there but he knew that he would be the one punished as well. One good deed would not make up for the ills he had committed at the orders of his master.

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Espenshade cooed softly as she flew above the heads of the silent elves. They had not spoken since the 'ordeal' and the falcon could tell both were suffering from it. The elleth had gone an almost deathly pale and the ellon had drawn his hood once more, casting dark shadows across his face. They walked a good distance apart from each other, both watching the ground as they passed. The Peregrine falcon could almost feel the friendship between them sizzle and snap as each moment passed them by.

Mostly, she was worried for the Crown Prince. He had not yet recovered from his experiences when he had been brought back to the living and is he continued to grieve, he may loose himself once more. If that happened, there would be no way he would be able to return. And chances are, he would be completely unwilling to do so anyway.

Iaurtondariel never looked up from the ground, letting her feet carry her. It still confused her to no end why she wasn't falling into despair like all elves did if refused their love. Maybe it wasn't love but just a silly infatuation? But love between elves is always true, she reminded herself, there was no in between. Perhaps she subconsciously knew that he was already taken by another but she just didn't want to accept it. She thought on it until her brain racked painfully in her head, and so she just took this as her explanation: she knew long ago but refused the truth.

A screech from the falcon overhead caused both elves to look up quickly. Without even realizing it, they had come upon the border of the dense forest in a matter of an hour. The elleth's eyes seemed light up at the sight of it and she smiled as one would upon returning home. Norui gazed into its depths wonderingly, his heart pounding at the idea of being under the trees once more. They watched as the falcon plunged into the trees, screeching loudly.

The Crown Prince looked over at the elleth in an almost nervous way and she returned the gaze. He smiled slightly at her and motioned towards the forest with his head.

"Ladies first."

Iaurtondariel smiled brightly and nodded her head in thanks, then hurried into the wood. Norui stood and watched until she disappeared into the thick vines. He cast one more gaze upwards to the sky, smiling, and then followed after the elleth.

He could hear her soft footfalls expertly navigating the forest and, much to his surprise, found himself falling behind. He was not used to such a humid and thick forest and so had trouble keeping his footing. He could still hear the excited screeching of the Peregrine falcon soaring above them and he laughed to himself. Only when he began to loose the trail of the elleth did he call out her name. He heard a faint shout in the distance and he hurried after her.

Not a few moments later, he saw her peeking out from behind some trees and he came to a halt, looking over her shoulder. Espenshade was perched on a branch and was prancing anxiously. About twenty feet away stood a tall wall of stone adorned by carvings of strange creatures. A few guards who paced back and forth on top of the wall patrolled a wooden gate. Much to the Crown Prince's amusement, the majority of them seemed bored out of their minds. Being this far in the forest, he doubted they were attacked very often.

"So now what?" He questioned softly, "How do we get in?"

"I don't know. Just walk up, I suppose." Norui quirked a brow.

"I highly doubt they will let two strangers in." He replied and she turned around sharply to glare at him.

"Strangers? _You_ are the stranger here. This is not my first visit to the city, mind you." She retorted and he backed away a few steps.

"My apologies, my lady." She smirked at him and nodded.

"Alright, let's go then." And without another word, she stepped out of the forest and strode towards the wooden gate. Espenshade cackled and swooped off her perch, gliding over the walls without anyone noticing.

A fair-haired guard glanced down at the elleth as she approached and his brows raised. For the moment, he did not feel threatened though it was odd that a female would just appear out of the forest randomly. His brow raised even more when an ellon stepped out behind her.

"What business have you?" He called down to them, alerting his companions. They all looked up from their business and leaned over the wall to get a closer look at the pair. Iaurtondariel looked up at them, placing her hands on her hips.

"We seek entrance into the city of Banemera, my lords. Our companions reside here and we would like a visit with them." She shouted up to them and watched as they whispered quickly to one another.

"What are your names?" The same one called.

"This is Lord Norui, Prince of Mirkwood, and my name is Iaurtondariel." She replied. Suddenly, a grin formed upon one of the younger guards and laughed.

"Ai, I cannot believe it!" He cried, "It has been a long time, my lady Iaurtondariel!"

The elleth studied the young Muru for the longest time before her eyes widened and she grinned. Norui only watched on in confusion, as did the other guards, at this exchange.

"Letefa!" She laughed, "It has been so long! And look how much you've grown since I've seen you last!" The young Muru grinned and nodded, his golden hair flailing wildly about his head.

"It has been a while, my lady." He said, "Don't worry, we'll let you in."

And true to his word, the gates soon swung open and Iaurtondariel smiled, heading inside the city. The Crown Prince scratched the back of his neck in puzzlement, and then followed her quickly.

The gates shut behind them with a thud and, with a wave of her hand towards the still grinning Muru, elleth and ellon strode into the bustling streets of Banemera. Norui was immediately lost in the chattering crowds, finding himself unused to the large amounts of people. He watched as the elleth strode swiftly down the street and everyone seemed to clear away from her. Perhaps she was well known here or maybe it was just out of decency for a new guest.

But then why was he being shoved around like luggage, he thought with a grunt. An older woman brushed by his shoulder and he stumbled slightly, only to almost loose his balance as two children ran between his legs, laughing cheerfully. He glared after their retreating backs and he found himself wishing he were still out in the wild. At least, it was quiet and peaceful there.

He weaved through the people as politely as he could- though they didn't seem too concerned about politeness- while still keeping an eye on Iaurtondariel. Her pace had slowed slightly and her gaze became ensnared on a stand filled with silver jewelry and gems. The ellon rolled his eyes as she eagerly hurried over to it while a grin formed upon the lips of the young shopkeeper. He scoffed under his breath.

_Ellyth…_

The chattering and bickering of the people began to grow on his nerves as he passed them by and towards the elleth. As he came closer, the jewels on the cart came into clearer view and he began to understand why she was attracted to the stand. Even he was intrigued by the artifacts displayed. Chains of gold and silver hung down from the overhang of the display and elaborate bracelets in the shape of strange creatures were scattered almost carelessly in the front and rings encrusted with giant stones sat in the far back. Pendants were abundant, each depicting some elaborate scene, as well as curious hoops of gold.

The young Muru who ran the shop was a very interesting character, the ellon decided as he came into full view. His curly dark hair cascaded down to only his shoulders and was adorned with various colored beads. The same hoops on display were pierced in his ear in various places, going all the way up to the tip. He had almond shaped blue eyes that were accented by elegant dark eyebrows and a full grin was upon his lips, showing off his straight teeth. He was clad in an oversized tunic and a pair of black breeches while a thin black cord was hung around his neck. His glittering eyes focused on the Crown Prince as he came beside the elleth and he placed his hands behind his back, rocking back onto his heels.

"How may I help you, my lord and lady?" He said exuberantly. Norui quirked a brow at the man but said nothing. Iaurtondariel was too absorbed examining the pieces to notice, which seemed to please him even more, "I'm sure by the looks of you, you would have some spare change to use on some trinkets such as these."

"We are merely travelers, my lord." The ellon replied, "Came in from the north."

"Ah, foreigners then!" He beamed, "Haven't had any of those in a long while, my lord. Actually, no, I take that back. A large group of elves, a man, and a wizard passed by yesterday, I think it was. The princes were taking them to the palace but I can't imagine why. A curious bunch, they were."

Norui's eyes widened at the realization of the words from the overly cheerful merchant. Sure, he expected them to be here but at the idea of reuniting with his comrades….well, he became uneasy. What if they didn't accept him or believed him a fraud? Someone who only looked like him, nothing more. He swallowed hard, then shook the thought away. Of course not, they'd recognize him right away. Maybe a little shocked but excited nonetheless. He hoped.

"Aye, elves!" The Muru babbled on, almost to himself, "A couple of pretty ladies in there as well, my lord. Perhaps you'll meet up with one, you being an elf as well. Wouldn't mind meeting one myself, either." A cheeky grin made its way onto his face and the Crown Prince suddenly had the desire to punch his teeth out. The merchant would have no idea he was related to some of those 'pretty ladies' but he still felt a fire ignite at his words. Instead, he stiffly smoothed his own ruffled feathers.

"Perhaps but until that time, we must depart." He put a hand on Iaurtondariel's shoulder, "Come on, we have business to take care off." The elleth looked up from the necklace she was examining and frowned slightly from him.

"But these things are beautiful. Do you think we could…?"

"We don't have any money, my lady, come." He answered gently and made to walk away. She scowled.

"Perhaps you don't, my lord, but I do." Norui watched on in disbelief as she withdrew from her pack a small leather pouch. She withdrew two silver coins and held them out to the elated merchant, "Will this do, my lord?" She asked him and he nodded quickly.

"You are most generous, my lady! That is more then enough, thank you!" He exclaimed, taking the coins and stuffing them into his own pouch. The elleth grinned and took the silver chained necklace from the stand and fastened it around her neck. A polished emerald stone sat in the middle and was surrounded by smaller silver gems. She nodded her thanks to the Muru and returned to the endless streams of Muruien. Norui could only gape at her retreating back before hurrying after her once more.

Once more, he found himself battling against the people that seemed determined to keep him from leaving their 'clutches'. He was about to give up and wander the streets when the crowd seemed to diminish and Iaurtondariel was standing there waiting for him as she marveled at her new treasure. She smiled weakly at him when he came to her side and he quirked a brow.

"Since when did you have that much money?" He questioned more harshly then he intended.

"Since we left my home back beyond the mountains." She answered, "You just never asked if I had any."

She smirked at his disgruntled face.

"That being done, I say we continue on to the palace. If the princes were leading them, then they are residing in the King Judeqir's halls, no doubt. I'm sure they'll let us in." She said. The ellon scoffed.

"I doubt that." He said and she glared.

"I am the one who has visited this city before, not you. So if you plan to see your family again, I suggest you be quiet and just follow me."

A fierce anger welled up inside of him at that comment and he opened his mouth to release his fury at her. Never before had anyone spoken to him like that- excluding his father- and lived to tell the tale. Had he not been in the right mind, he probably would have struck her but his upbringing as a prince told him otherwise. So instead of taking a drastic measure, he merely breathed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. Lead the way." He said stiffly between his teeth. The elleth's green eyes narrowed further and, without another word, started off in the direction of the looming palace.

His eyes widened at the sight of the grand building but he did not say anything to the elleth. For the moment, he was content to just scowl at her back. He didn't know why but he suddenly found the dark haired elleth irritating and insufferable. Perhaps it was the gap that had been placed between the two with the 'confession' but he didn't plan on losing any sleep over it.

He was even more shocked when he saw her go straight up to the doors of the palace and let herself in, without even a warning. Guards were not even posted at the doors and this made the Crown Prince uneasy. He whistled shrilly and a few moments later, he felt the Peregrine falcon land upon his shoulder. She cackled softly in his ear, then chewed on the ends of his hair. And as he passed through the great doors of the palace, his stomach did a sudden flip in uneasiness.

Dear Valar, he was about to see his family again! The ones who thought he had perished in the mountains and he was going to see them again! What was he supposed to do? Or say? It certainly could not be as easy as, 'Oh yes, here I am!'

He suddenly wished that he paid attention to Lord Glorfindel when he told his story of returning to Middle Earth.

Another cackle from the falcon brought him back to his senses and he looked up to find Iaurtondariel had already disappeared into the winding halls. His eyes widened and, listening for the light footsteps, hurried down a corridor in search of her.

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Leneya burst into the room while balancing a single cup of steaming liquid on a serving tray. Her breaths came out in uneven huffs as she came to the bedside and placed the tray on the nightstand. Judeqir snatched up the cup quickly and turned to the worried companions sitting around the bed.

"Sit him up, he needs to drink this." He commanded and they did so without question. Elladan's head lolled to the side and he moaned softly, his face steadily becoming redder from the fever. Elrohir laid him back against the pillow and supported his head as the King lifted up the ailing ellon's chin.

"What will that do, my lord?" Arwen questioned, tears brimming in her eyes. She was barely aware of the comforting hands of Estel circling on her back, "Will it save him?"

"It will bring down the fever for sure." The silver haired Muru responded, "But I cannot be so sure whether it will help him to escape the one possessing him. It happens rarely and so there has been no need to fully develop a remedy for it."

"Is he…is he going to die?" Melyanna breathed, fighting back the tears that streamed down her cheeks. The King hesitated for a moment, frowning deeply, before pouring the brew down the ellon's throat. He swallowed easily and without a fuss.

"My lady…" He began, not even meeting the eyes of the company. He bit his lip until he felt a trickle of blood, "No, of course not. We won't let him."

Tarmikos and Ricamros stood by the door, watching with sorrowful eyes at their newfound friends. It troubled them to know that their ailment was because of their own people. They should have killed the beast that attacked them so many years before when they had the chance but didn't, pitying the man. That was a huge mistake, they found. They only wished there was something they could do besides stand there idly.

And suddenly, a thought came to the silent Muru. He may not have the ability to speak but that did not mean he was slower then his brother.

Quickly, he nudged his the Muru beside him with his elbow to get his attention. The older prince glanced over at him slowly and his eyes widened slowly in realization at one simple hand gesture: two thumbs hooked together, the fingers flapping in the air.

Ricamros inhaled sharply and turned his gaze to his father who still tended to the unconscious ellon. The prince hurried over to him, tapping him on the shoulder. Judeqir glanced over at him questioningly.

"How much time does he have before he succumbs?" He questioned softly, "If he doesn't respond to the brew."

"A few days perhaps." The king answered just as softly and with sadness, "Why?"

He did not get a response as his older son dashed out of the room, his twin quickly in tow. He watched in confusion, then turned back to his patient when he heard another groan. His lips thinned; this was not going well.

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Their strides were evenly matched and their feet made no noise on the polished floors. Silver manes billowed out like banners in the wind, cloaks flapping wildly about their bodies. A fierce determination had se elf upon their hearts to find the one they knew could save the dark haired ellon. She had to be close, they could sense it, and they would find her no matter how long it took.

It still amazed Ricamros how his brother could come up with a solution so quickly. He began to understand why he was such an accomplished commander in the armies, even though he was forever mute. He had his own ailments, yes, but they did not effect him as much as Tarmikos's did. And for that, he admired him.

They sped through the halls, ignoring the shocked outcries from the citizens they passed. They would stop for nothing…until a woman they had never seen before stepped directly into their path, unaware of the collision about to happen.

With a startled gasp, the older twin grabbed on to his brother's sleeve instinctively in an attempt to come to a quick halt. The lady looked up with wide, green eyes and she froze in her tracks. She did not even move as they came to a screeching stop in front of her, balancing precariously over her on their toes. They continued to stare in shock at one another, all unsure of quite how to repair this awkward situation.

Sure, it is just as simple as stepping away with an 'excuse me' but let's just say that our young Muruien princes aren't _that_ bright.

"Um…" The lady began slowly, "Good morning?"

Tarmikos cleared his throat and brought himself back down to his feet, pulling down his brother- who was busy staring at the ground- as well, then studied to new face before him. The maiden was clad in a travel-worn, grayish tunic that came down to her mid-thighs with dark leggings. Her hair, though slightly tousled and knotted, was of dark brunette that fell down to her shoulder blades in soft curls. Slight amusement and shock were still evident in her emerald eyes. She was very beautiful, the silent Muru concluded, but not for him, obviously.

He gave her a quick smile, then stepped out of her path with a nod. Ricamros continued to stand dumbly in front of her, not daring to move his eyes from the stone floor, and the younger twin rolled his eyes. He pulled his brother away quickly, grinned at the lady, and hurried around the corner with his brother in tow.

Only to nearly run into yet another person they did not recognize.

This time, it was an ellon with mahogany hair twisted into simple braids and eyes much the same color as the lady's. He was clad in a hunter green tunic with grey leggings. The hilt of a sword poked out from beneath the folds of his thin cloak. Upon his shoulder sat a golden Peregrine falcon, quirking its head in amusement at the startled Muruien.

It took a moment for it to register in their minds but when it did, the twins broke into huge grins. Their gazes fixed expectantly on the falcon who cackled. The ellon quirked his brow, glancing between the two curiously, then cleared his throat.

"May I help you, my lords?" He questioned and Tarmikos nodded exuberantly. He pointed to the falcon, then motioned for it to follow. With a curious cackle, the creature glided off the ellon's shoulder and landed on Ricamros's silver head. He grunted in annoyance. The elf looked even more confused before at this exchange but before he could ask any questions, the pair turned and sped back from where they came from.

With a cry of shock, Norui stomped forward after them, "What are you doing!" He shouted but they ignored him as they disappeared around another corner, "Come back here!"

Only the sound of their quick footsteps reached his ears and he felt his blood boil. He was barely aware of Iaurtondariel standing next to him, still frozen in her spot. All of a sudden, the ellon was even less prepared to meet his family once again, especially his young brother. He intended on reuniting him with his beloved falcon but now that those 'kind' people had taken her away, he refused to go forward until Espenshade was returned.

"My lady," He said stiffly, "Would you happen to know who those gentlemen were?"

"I am not sure." She replied softly, swallowing hard, "I do not remember seeing them before."

"Then come on, we are going to teach them some manners." He growled, then stormed off in the direction of the retreating Muruien. The elleth blinked once, watching him leave, then followed after him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I wonder who that was, Tarmikos thought offhandedly as he ran along side his identical brother, he seemed awfully flustered. Oh well.

Another thing that caught his attention was that his normally exuberant twin had suddenly gone speechless. His first thought was that maybe almost colliding with the lady embarrassed him but he didn't seem the type. Considering the maiden, she did seem awfully familiar, now that he thought about it. Perhaps she had lived in the city when she was younger. She had the same features of a girl he once knew when he was but a child but he couldn't place the name. Ah well, it would come to him later.

He was suddenly aware of the quickly approaching footsteps behind him. Without even having to look back, he knew it was that ellon they took Espenshade from. Oh well, let him run, he thought, not his falcon anyway.

The doors to the chambers where Elladan lay ill came into view and Tarmikos felt his chest well up with pride: no one else thought to seek out Espenshade. As if sensing the need for her help, Espenshade screeched and jolted ahead. The twins increased their pace as they neared and shoved the doors open, slamming against the wall. With another screech, the falcon swooped into the room, leaving two panting Muruien outside to deal with the elves that were still hot on their tail.

Everyone in the room jolted at the sudden noise and looked up with wide eyes. First, their gazes found the silver haired princes leaning against the wall and then the golden streak that burst into the room. Upon recognition, Legolas leapt up from his spot beside the bed with his jaw hanging.

"Espenshade!" He cried elatedly, watching her land upon the bed, "Where have you-"

He paused in his sentence to watch with wide eyes as a familiar white beam formed in the falcon's mouth and splashed upon the still lips of the ellon on the bed. Her muscles visibly tightened and strained under her golden feathers, her wings outstretched to their maximum. Whatever she was doing, it was obvious doing so put tremendous stress on her small being. The young ellon began to worry that she may not come out of this one unscathed.

The King of Banemera was in a state of shock completely different then that of the ellon's. He figured that his sons had something planned to help but not…this. Where had they found her? She couldn't have just been in the palace the whole time, could she have? At the moment, he wasn't sure if he wanted to hug his twins or strangle them.

Ricamros and Tarmikos watched on curiously as the falcon did her work. Small, identical smiles broke upon their lips and the older Muru placed his hand upon his brother's shoulder. The other one simply grinned at him, quite pleased with his 'genius' mind. But their pleased moods were suddenly interrupted when they were swung around quickly and thrown against the wall. Their blues eyes met the emerald ones of that ellon.

"So we meet again, my lords." He hissed, glaring. Tarmikos rolled his eyes while Ricamros quirked his brow.

"Good morning." He said, bowing his head as best as he could, "Forgive us for our actions but we needed to borrow your friend for a moment."

"It would have been most decent of you if you had have asked first before plucking her from my shoulder and darting away." Norui retorted. At this, both princes narrowed their eyes.

"And it would be most decent of _you_, my lord, to release the last remaining princes of this household."

Norui studied the two identical Muruien for a moment, a scowl still on his features. Being a prince himself, he knew that he always used that 'argument' against the people of his own home in order to get his way but, suddenly, he didn't like the idea of it being turned against him. A smirk grew upon the lips of Ricamros and his scowl deepened.

"Why should a prince of Mirkwood bow to the princes of a city very people know the name of?"

Even more confusion filled the ellon's body as the twins' eyes widened in shock. They seemed to cower slightly beneath him and he was not sure if he should be pleased with himself or worried. What happened to bring upon the sudden change?

"A prince of Mirkwood?" The Muru questioned, "Then that would make you brother to Legolas, right?"

"You know him?" Norui swallowed hard, his eyes widening. If they knew him, that means he would be in the palace somewhere. Anxiousness and uncertainty suddenly coursed through him, "How?"

"We escorted him and his companions here not two days ago." Ricamros replied, "If you wish to see him, he is in that room." He pointed towards the open doors.

Slowly, the ellon released his grip on the Muruien and stepped away. Unbidden, his feet shuffled over to the doorway and he peeked in. Sure enough, the entire group was gathered around the bed, watching anxiously as Espenshade worked her magic. His eyes first landed upon his two sisters who stood by each other, tears trailing down Melyanna's cheeks. The ellon frowned at this and he wished for nothing more then to go to her and wrap his arms around her, whispering soothing words to her. He knew not what has caused her distress but even so, he wished to help.

Then his eyes landed upon his younger brother and a soft smile came upon his lips. Out of everyone, he missed him the most despite the trouble he always caused. He chuckled lightly at the expression on Legolas's face; his eyes were so wide as he watched his beloved falcon, Norui feared that the young prince's eyeballs would roll out of his head. He looked like he was about to run over and smother the bird in his embrace.

Once again, nervousness came upon him and he stepped away from the door. He was not ready to meet his family again, not yet. He needed more time to come to grips that he was alive again, no longer in Mandos's Halls with his mother. He was elated to be back again, he supposed, but just not ready to face everyone. He turned to the awaiting Muruien again and smiled slightly.

"Thank you, my lords." He said, "Forgive my actions towards you, I was already in a foul mood and your interruption seemed to spark it even more. May I ask your names?"

Both silver haired princes perked up with grins on their faces, "I am Ricamros and my brother is Tarmikos." He replied, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Norui." The ellon jolted slightly at the mention of his name but he shrugged it off; Legolas probably mentioned it earlier. He watched as the silent Muru nudged his brother in the ribs with a grin and Ricamros returned it with his own grin, "Excuse, my lord, I meant Prince _Noruion_."

A shiver ran up the ellon's spine at the name and he gritted his teeth; alright, Legolas was _never_ say that! Who was it then? Norui cleared his throat stiffly, fighting back the twitch that was sure to come. Oh, how he despised that name!

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Legolas watched on anxiously as his falcon put all her strength into healing the ellon. He could not fathom how her powers could possibly rid Elladan of the Muru but, obviously, it was possible. He also began to wonder how she managed to show up at just the right time. What was she doing out there? Was she following along the whole time? No matter what she had been doing, he was elated that she had returned. If she had have been healing the dark haired ellon, he probably would have rushed over to her and squeezed her in happiness.

A few more moments passed and the 'magic' began to dwindle. Espenshade's small body began to quake under the stress of the healing and once the beam of light dissipated, her legs collapsed underneath of her. She gave a heavy sigh, then fluttered away to the headboard and shut her eyes. Everyone turned their attention back to Elladan but he did not look any different to their eyes. They looked back to Judeqir questioningly but he only sighed, massaging his forehead.

"Now, we must wait. Her healing powers will help to bring him out of this state so he should be awake by nightfall. By thankful your falcon showed up when she did; he did not have a very great chance of survival." The companions smiled gratefully at him, bowing their heads and whispering their words of thanks. He merely shrugged with a small, casual smile on his lips, then turned and strode from the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut, all eyes spun to the golden haired prince expectantly. Legolas glanced between them all, swallowing hard with wide eyes. He shrugged.

"What?" He said meekly and Lothron's lips turned up into a smirk.

"Since when did Espenshade have healing powers?" She asked, crossing her arms. The prince grinned sheepishly.

"I discovered it long ago after an attack on the borders, I think it was." He replied.

"So is that how you were able to heal so quickly after that warg incident?" Elrohir added quickly, moving to sit beside his brother on the bed. The golden haired ellon only nodded.

"It would have been very helpful if you let us know that, Legolas." The Crown Princess said, "We could have prevented so many things."

"Like what? After that, we never had need to use it. I only used her one other time, when Jaimea and I were driven off that cliff."

The group did not let their gazes drop from him, studying him with scrutinizing eyes. He shuffled anxiously under their stares, flinching every time he made eye contact. Finally, after a few more moments of uneasiness, the company grinned at him and turned away to do their own business. Legolas quirked his brow at their behavior but said nothing, not wishing to being more questioning upon himself.

But suddenly, a strange feeling came upon him. Not anxiety, mind you, but comfort and a sense of welcoming. For a moment, he thought it Espenshade's return but realized it could not- he had had this feeling before, as well as his two sisters. The night he had awoken suddenly, he has a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach and now it was back.

And it seemed to be drawing him towards the corridor.

Glancing quickly between his companions, he sidled over towards the door and as he did so, the feeling grew stronger. His heart leapt in his chest and he bit his lips, placing his hand to rest on the frame of the door. He took one more look at the group, then stepped out quickly into the corridor.

Only to be meant with the startled gazes of the Muruien princes. The sense slowly began to fade until it vanished into nothing. A frown settled upon his lips and he rested his head against the wall, sighing heavily. He felt empty once more.

Ricamros cleared his throat softly, trying to catch the ellon's attention. Legolas looked up at him with defeated eyes questioningly. The Muru was about to open his mouth to speak but was cut off at the sound of hurried footsteps. The golden haired prince sat up and looked down the hall but the Muru only turned away quickly, settling his bright eyes on the floor. Within a few moments, a dark haired elleth turned the corner.

Legolas gasped at seeing her and she froze, staring at him with wide eyes. The ellon's heart leapt in his chest and he grinned widely at her, coming to stand before her. Her green eyes only stared into his in shock.

"It is a pleasure to meet you again, my lady Iaurtondariel." He greeted, "We have very much missed your company." She hesitated for a moment, before giving him a small smile.

"I was right on your tail the whole time. I did not mean to worry you, my lord." She struggled to conceal her discomfort.

"Where did you go?"

"No where in particular; just some things that I needed to take care of."

"Ah, I see." The ellon said, still grinning, "Would you like to come see the others?" The elleth shook her head, smiling, then stepped back.

"Perhaps later, my lord." She replied, "But I would like to rest up a bit, if it isn't too much difficultly." A disappointed look came across his face but it quickly disappeared, being replaced with a wide smile and he nodded.

"Of course, I understand. I am sure Ricamros and Tarmikos can help you with that." He said, motioning to the silent princes behind him. The silent Muru smiled at her but Ricamros showed no sign of noticing her. Tarmikos motioned for her to follow him, outstretching his arm for her and she smiled uneasily. She gave another short glance to Legolas before taking the offer and striding away down the hall. And only one thought passed through her mind…

Why did that blasted Norui run!

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The day passed them by quickly and most of it was spent in Elladan's chambers. They were only half aware of the soft chatter of people passing in the halls and the sun slowly setting behind them. A soft glow was set in the room, casting shadows in the corners, and a small fire had been built up in the hearth. The crackling of the flames was the only sound in the room and it brought comfort to all present.

The ailing ellon showed little signs of recovery, except for the occasional moan of discomfort. They all wished for nothing more then to be able to bring him back to the light and help fight the demon but they believed in the words of the king. He would pull through- he had to.

Espenshade had awoken once again and was feeling quite lethargic. It seemed like it had been ages since she had used such powers but she would recover in time. For the mean time, she was content to sit in her master's arms, chewing slowly on a thin piece of meat as the golden haired prince's fingers trailed slowly down her back. The heat from the fire was comforting to her sore form.

The two Muruien princes had returned after bringing Iaurtondariel to her room though they could never find the other ellon who had run off so suddenly. The older twin wanted to say something but every time he found the opportunity, he was jabbed harshly in the ribs by his brother. It surprised them both how much they had taken to the small company. They thought it would have been a simple escort, like so many times before, the group would do their business and be off. But now, they felt like they never wanted them to leave. Such an amusing bunch, they commented.

"How much longer do you think he will be under this state?" Arwen asked softly, sitting gently on the bed. Ricamros shrugged.

"I am not sure but you should not worry yourself over it. He will be just fine now that the falcon has tended to him."

"How did you know that she possessed such ability, my lord?" Estel questioned, "We did not even know of it until we saw it. Except Legolas, of course."

The Muru opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it and they could all tell he wanted to say something. But something kept him from doing that and it intrigued them even more.

"My lord? Will you tell us?" He asked again, drawing his knees up to his chest.

"I-I don't know if I should…" Ricamros hesitated, running his hands through his silver locks. Tarmikos watched him expectantly, tugging anxiously at the sleeves of his tunic.

"It cannot possibly be that great a deal." Arwen persisted, "Please?"

"Well, I-"

"If you cannot do it, my son, then I will."

Everyone jolted slightly at the new voice and turned their attention to the king who stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. A firm glare was set upon his lips and the twin princes cowered slightly.

"But Father-"

"Silence, Ricamros, you know it must be said." Judeqir retorted firmly and the younger Muru made no signs of defiance.

"What is this about, my lord?" Lothron questioned, moving to sit beside her brother. Espenshade shuffled in agitation in Legolas's arms.

"You will know soon enough." He replied, "Now, Espenshade, let them know."

The falcon hissed fiercely, ruffling her feathers.

"Do it!"

"My lord, please-" Legolas started only to be cut off once more.

"Now, Espenshade!"

She screeched shrilly, creating a painful ring in the ears of those in the room. She spread her golden wings and soared swiftly to the nightstand, knocking off a few items in the process. Another screech echoed in the room.

"You know the law, Espenshade! Now let them see!"

A heavy silence fell over the room and all but the king and falcon seemed unaffected by it. The intensity nearly crackled in the air and everyone had only one desire and that was to get out as quickly as possible. Even Elladan, who still lay unconscious, seemed troubled.

And that is when it happened- when the life of one golden haired prince twisted in a way he could never imagine. Something so painful and incredible that he could not even dream of it.

Ever so slowly, a golden light formed around her, nearly blocking her from sight. And he could do nothing but watch as his long time friend and savior transformed right before his very eyes.

**XX**

**There you go! Sorry it took so long. I've been really busy helping to direct my school play so I didn't really have much time…sorries. Not the best chapter but oh well. I try. :) Hope you liked it and I'll try to get the next one out as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! And PLEASE, people, REVIEW! I'm getting hungry for reviews! **

**Oh, and I drew a few pictures of some of the characters so if any one wants to see them, let me know in your review and I'll email it to you! **

**And thank you so, so much, Ty, for betaing! It is so much appreciated::glomps:D**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	42. Here Beside You

**¡Hola, mis amigos! ¿Cómo usted es? Espero que usted quiso el último capítulo. ¡Optimistamente, éste será un poco mejor y no puedo esperar para escribir acerca de Espenshade! ¡Yay! ¡Bien, goza el capítulo cuarenta y dos! **

_**Translation: Hello, my friends! How are you all? I hope you liked the last chapter. Hopefully, this one will be a bit better and I can't wait to write about Espenshade! Yay! Alright, enjoy chapter forty two!**_

_**Italics represent thoughts**_

'…**.' represents Tarmikos' notes **

**XXXXX**

Chapter 42- Here Beside You

Legolas held his breath, his eyes wide, as he waited for the golden light to dissipate. He knew in his heart what exactly was happening yet he didn't want to believe it. Espenshade couldn't be…she was just a falcon…. right? There was no way she could have kept this secret for all those years.

But no matter how hard he wished it were not so, the light slowly began to dissipate and his heart leapt into his throat. The long, elegant wings of his friend were replaced with slender arms and in place of silky feathers was a mane of golden hair. Talons disappeared, fingers and bare feet taking their place. Nothing seemed the same anymore to the young prince; the only thing he could recognize was her sapphire eyes that now glowed angrily at the king.

Judeqir returned this glare with his own, crossing his arms over his broad chest. The silver haired twins watched on with wide eyes, glancing back and forth between their father and the maiden perched upon the nightstand. She was garbed in strange clothing that looked as if it had been put together in a matter of minutes. Patches were stitched upon more patches and the whole outfit was comprised of browns and faded grays. Her disheveled hair was allowed to hang freely over her eyes, causing the awed group to cower slightly under her gaze. All in all, it looked as if she had just been captured from the wilds of some unknown land.

"There, now that was not so hard, was it?" The king questioned arrogantly. The woman made a hiss-like noise from her throat, her face twisting into a sneer, "Well? Are you going to answer me or have you forgotten how to do that?"

"Shut up!" She growled, her voice hoarse. It seemed as if it had been years since proper speech had come forth from her lips, "You have done enough already!"

"What ever could you mean? I thought it best that your companions know who exactly they are traveling with." He retorted, motioning towards the still stunned group. Some stared at her with wide eyes while others just turned an unnatural pale color.

"Perhaps. But you could have done it in a more subtle manner!" The king's frown deepened and he rubbed his chin.

"What a temper you have acquired. Where has that come from, hmm?" He was replied with only a scowl.

The room fell into uncomfortable silence, no one daring to move lest they spark the wrath of the female onto themselves. Elladan had stilled again though a small frown was upon his lips. Arwen only barely stroked his hand, her eyes upon the angered lady. It was only when the woman hopped down from the nightstand did anyone begin to move again. And that was out of fear of her wrath. Her lips turned down as she gazed at each and every one of them.

"You see what you have done? They now cower from me, all because of you." She said softly though bitterly.

"I have done nothing. You are the one who makes them move away from you with your vile manners."

"I think," Estel began cautiously, clearing his throat, "What we really need are some answers. This is…most unexpected." He flinched when both king and maiden turned their hardened gazes towards him.

"And answers, you shall receive, my lord." Judeqir said, smiling stiffly at him, "Yes, all of us need some answers to our questions. And not just you."

Another scowl found its place upon Espenshade's lips.

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Uhako watched in annoyance as the maiden peered around the corner, her back rigid from anxiousness. They had been discussing what was to be done next and so far, nothing had come of their arguing. Somehow, they had both left their master's lair without even an initial plan except to get into the palace as the twin princes. After that, make sure they proved no threat to Eruko but how to do that exactly?

Well, that was where the arguing started.

"Why don't we just all in their sleep?" He suggested after a moment, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I would prefer something that is more planned out, if you don't mind." Turwaithiel replied tensely, "You make it sound simpler then it really is."

"If you care so much about it, why don't _you_ take care of it?"

The Muru glared as the woman turned back to face him, a glare of her own upon her face. She stalked back to him, her fists clenched at her sides, and she leered into his eyes. Uhako could sense a great tension emanating from her body yet he said nothing to her, only holding his chin higher.

"Do you not want to be free of our Master?" She questioned.

"I desire my freedom as much as you do your own, my lady, but there must be another way. Perhaps we don't need to ."

"Oh? And how would we do that, hmm?"

He did not reply, only sighing tensely and hardening his glare. She looked his face up and down, then scoffed and turned away from him. He scowled at her back.

"Come, Uhako, we have a job to do."

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Even after a few moments of running, the ellon found himself lost in the winding corridors of the palace. To him, everything looked the same and only the paintings on the walls varied. He came to a halt suddenly and he immediately dropped to the floor, his head hanging.

What a coward he was for running! He could have been reunited with his younger brother and all would be well. He did not know what had made him flee like that. Maybe it was the suspense of the moment, or the anxiety that had built up inside of his body ever since he had…returned. Or maybe just the fear of rejection.

No, Legolas would never reject him, not matter what. He was just worrying over nothing. Once they met once again, they could continue on with their mission and save their father. At least, that was what he hoped.

Norui sighed, running his long fingers through his wild hair. He began to wonder who those two Muruien really were and if they could help him go about meeting up with his brother again. They seemed to know him so maybe he could recruit their help. A chuckle escaped his lips at this thought- he was sounding very foolish right now. Oh, how Legolas would laugh if he knew the trouble the Crown Prince was putting himself through.

"My lord?" A timid voice called, breaking him away from his thoughts. The ellon looked up slowly and found a dark haired lady staring down at him with worried eyes, "Are you alright?" The elf smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"Yes, I am alright. Thank you, my lady." He replied.

"I do not think I have seen your face before." She commented as he came to his feet, "May I ask your name?"

"Norui, my lady. I just arrived with a friend not long ago." He answered, "And you?"

"Leneya, my lord Norui. I find it odd how more and more elves keep showing up. Would you be related or acquainted with any of the travelers who arrived but a few days ago?"

"Indeed, I am." A smile lit up on the maiden's face.

"I assume you shall be staying a while then. Come, I will find you a guest room." Leneya said eagerly, already leading him off down another hall, "Forgive me if I seem to bold, my lord, but would you happen to be related to Lord Legolas? If it weren't for the eyes and hair, I'd say you were him!"

"Aye, he is my little brother." Norui replied, a warm smile upon his lips. He found himself quickening his pace to keep up with the woman while still admiring the palace. She was a fiery one, he concluded quickly as she weaved among the occasional crowds of people in the halls. She seemed to be respected by the others, he noticed, for they bowed to her as they passed. Maybe she was a princess.

Finally, they came to one last hall and Norui froze in his tracks, his eyes widening. She brought him back to the room Legolas was in! Once again, he found his heart quickening and he turned to the woman.

"Isn't there another place I could stay?" He questioned hurriedly, glancing between her and the closed doors. Leneya frowned slightly.

"I am sorry, my lord, but these are all we have at the moment. Besides, I thought you would like a room by your brother." She replied. The ellon hesitated a moment, then swallowed hard.

"Very well, this will do. Thank you very much, my lady." Her smile appeared once again and she directed him to another room a little ways down the hall.

"Here you are, my lord. You may stay in this room, right across from your brother. It is the only one left, so consider yourself lucky that you came in time." She said quickly, then started off down the hall, "If you need any of us, we will be in this room here." Norui nodded, smiling, then turned to go into his room but stopped suddenly.

"My lady, would you please do one thing for me?" He questioned hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"Please, do not tell anyone of my arrival. It is sort of a…. surprise." Leneya frowned slightly, but her face quickly lit back up and she nodded.

"Of course, my lord." With a nod of her head, she opened the door and disappeared from sight.

Almost immediately, the frown appeared on the Crown Prince's lips and he leaned against the wall, sighing heavily. No doubt, Legolas would be able to sense his presence if they were that close. True, that was sort of what he wanted but he was still hesitant about it. The same fears that had been plaguing his mind returned and ate away at him until it was unbearable.

Finally and with another glance to the doors that Leneya just disappeared into, he stepped away from the wall and entered his room, closing the door with a soft click. He would take care of Legolas and the rest of them later.

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"Now, without jumping down my throat, I would like to know _why_ you have come back." Judeqir began as he leaned back against the wall. His two sons still had not moved from their spots, eyes transfixed on the woman. Espenshade crossed her arms with a scoff.

"You know why- I shouldn't have to answer that." She replied bitterly.

"Father, perhaps it would be best to let her explain herself to her companions first. I think your questions should wait until we have more privacy." Ricamros suggested carefully but he went unheeded.

"You could have stayed outside the city and waited." The king retorted to the maiden, one brow raised, "Besides, you did not arrive with them. You came on your own, did you not?"

"No, I came with another."

"And who is that?"

"Lady Iaurtondariel, if you remember her."

Nobody noticed as Ricamros quickly looked to the floor at the mention of the elleth. A faint tinge of pink spread up his neck and Tarmikos quirked his brow. The older twin gave him a reassuring smile but he only raised his brow further.

"Ah, yes, I believe I do. Only a little elfling when last she came though, and the twins were less then half the size they are now." Judeqir commented, running a hand through his long hair, "But that does not matter. My next question for you is why did you came back when you knew that it was not permitted?"

"My lord, that is the same question." Espenshade replied, rolling her eyes. The king paused for a long moment, studying the woman before him. She did not waver in her piercing gaze.

"Why do you not call me by my rightful name?" He questioned after a while.

"And what is that? Judeqir?" She retorted, smirking. He narrowed his eyes.

"You know what I mean." He said and the frown, once again, se elf upon her features.

"You lost that title long ago, my lord."

"Then just let me hear it, for old times sake." He said and Espenshade scowled hotly.

"You do not have to rub it in, my lord. I know that you are still my father, no matter how much pain it brings to admit it."

"You mean you are his daughter?" Estel questioned, being the only one with enough to courage to speak to the hot-tempered woman, "That would make you a princess."

"Yes, you-"

"Enough with the stalling." The king cut in again, earning himself yet another glare, "You know you were not to return here after what you committed, unless you wished to be punished severely."

"Banished, my lord?" Lothron piqued up as she stepped away from the bed, "What happened, exactly?"

Slowly, Espenshade slowly turned to face the elleth. Her face mirrored deep sorrow and regret. In the blink of an eye, the fiery maiden had become as gentle as the bird she once was. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her legs shook beneath her as if threatening to collapse. Before this could happen, she allowed herself to lean against the wall and slip down to the ground, her head in her hands. Judeqir's determined face did not falter. Cautiously, both Muruien twins made to go to her but the king held out a hand to halt them. It was a long moment before the distressed maiden finally raised her eyes to the group again. The fire had returned once more.

"I did nothing to deserve such punishment. I only did what I thought was right." She whispered miserably.

"What you thought was right? You think allowing your mother and brother to die 'right' when you know you could have saved them?" The king growled, his anger near its peak.

"It was not time. Something told me that I could not do it yet. My power would be needed elsewhere at another time."

"But what can be more important then your family's life, Espenshade! What can be so important that you must sacrifice those who you love?" She said nothing, only letting her head hang. The company continued to watch on in concern and confusion, glancing between one another questioningly, "Or was it not that? Did you seek revenge because of what I did to that wretched man?" Instantly, her head snapped up.

"Do not speak of him that way. He is still with us and can hear everything that we say."

"Which man?" Lothron spoke up once again and Espenshade looked towards her.

"You knew him but only for a brief time. Can you guess?"

The three siblings of Mirkwood glanced between one another, searching each other's gazes for an answer. Melyanna and Lothron spoke quietly together though Legolas had already guessed the answer. He swallowed hard.

"Daeron." He answered softly. The maiden only nodded once.

Long ago, a terrible shadow had fallen over the palace of Mirkwood, threatening the lives of every elf there. For protection, the royal family was taken in by a tall, fair-haired man by the name of Daeron. Though he was able to protect them from almost all harm, he perished in the end during the night.

"That only adds to the reason for your banishment, daughter. Had you not been running around with him, you might not have been punished so severely." Judeqir continued, unhindered by the others' comments.

"He was a good person, my lord, and he loved me like no one ever had."

"Good! He was a scoundrel, Espenshade, and you know this! I cannot tell you how many times I received reports of him stealing from the shops and the people. He did not even need the things he stole!"

The three elves of Mirkwood seemed to perk up at this new information and they furrowed their brows. Surely, this could not be the same Daeron they once knew. He seemed so noble and respectful, not one who would resort to theft. Legolas made a mental note to himself to speak to Espenshade later…if he ever found the courage, that is. He shuffled anxiously in his spot next to Jaimea, then looked back up to the Muru princess.

"Father, please, could we discuss this later? I beg of you, I cannot speak of it right now." She pleaded, gazing up at the silver haired king. His face did not soften as he glared at her form, as if sizing her up. After a long tense moment, he scoffed under his breath and stepped towards the door.

"Fine." He growled, "But do not think yourself free from punishment. For now, you will remain with your brothers until your room can be made up. Then will we talk." The lady's steely eyes did not leave the king's back until the door shut behind him. And almost instantly, all eyes turned warily to her.

Quickly, she wiped away the tears and brushed her long hair back out of her eyes, trying her hardest to regain control of her emotions. She pushed herself up slowly, ignoring the stares of the companions and she leaned against the wall. It was a long moment before anyone spoke and Espenshade found she had trouble meeting the gazes of her two brothers.

"I suppose I do have some explaining to do." She mumbled under her breath, the tears still lacing her voice.

"I do not feel you are quite ready to do any of that, my lady." Legolas replied softly, keeping his eyes to the floor, "You should get settled in first. And I'd imagine you'd want time alone with your brothers." She stared at the golden haired prince for a long moment, and then turned back to Ricamros and Tarmikos as they stood suddenly.

"He is right, sister. There is much to talk about." The older twin agreed, smiling as best he could, "Come." Espenshade hesitated a moment, then took a few tentative steps towards them both. He smiled at her as she took his arm, then turned to the group, "Please, excuse us." And with a bow of their heads, they left.

Silence reigned once more, no one quite sure what to say next. This was definitely a surprise, they muttered to themselves, what will happen next? They just hoped that this new discovery wouldn't hinder their mission in some way.

A few more moments passed and, without any words exchanged, they went back to their own personal business.

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The Muruien siblings did not show themselves again throughout the day nor at dinner. The king, though, went about his normal duties though those present in the room could tell that his feathers were still ruffled. They avoided him as best as they could and said not a word to him. Legolas began to fear that Judeqir would turn on him, claiming he was to blame for bringing his daughter back to the city.

When the group returned from dinner, they found that Elladan had awoken and was in a very cross mood, glaring as soon as they entered. He complained of a throbbing headache- which did not surprise the travelers- and hunger. A tray of food was brought to them and he quickly ate it down. Thankfully, he seemed to be in a more tolerable mood after that. No one asked questions about what had happened for none desired to know the pain he may have gone through. Of course, this mood did not last long when a healer forced him to down a drinking draught that had him out in five minutes, a small frown upon his lips.

Night fell and the moon made itself known. One by one, the companions drifted off to their respecting rooms and quickly fell into a deep slumber. No one mentioned a word about the door adjacent from the golden haired ellon's room that seemed to be dark inside yet they could feel a faint presence. Everyone was exhausted.

Ricamros sighed tiredly as he looked up from the book he read to see his sister fast asleep on the soft chair, her head tucked in the corner of the arm. His younger brother was resting up against the same chair, blue eyes gazing into the crackling fire in the hearth. After leaving the others, they three with one another in the princes' chambers. Many tears were shed, both of happiness and of sadness, but it did them all good in the end. Ever since then, they had been in the palace's library, content to just sit in comfortable silence. The king may not be pleased with his daughter's reappearance but both princes felt it was time for her to rejoin the family.

"What do you think father will do to her?" Ricamros asked after a moment. His brother shook his head with a small shrug, never tearing his eyes aware from the licking flames, "It wasn't her choice to come back. I would like it if she stayed but we both know that cannot happen."

Tarmikos turned his head to gaze at his brother for a long moment. The elder twin could clearly read the message in the Muru's eyes, telling him not to worry, but he could not help but do so. The idea of losing Espenshade again made his heart constrict in his chest.

"I am going to take a walk around the halls." He stated, closing his book softly and setting it on the table, "Care to join me?" Tarmikos did not seem to acknowledge the offer and so the older Muru sighed, and then strode from the library. The younger twin did not even flinch when the door closed.

The Muru prince ran his fingers through his long, silver hair as he paced slowly down the halls. The stars had begun to peek in through the large windows and the moon shone brightly in the sky. The familiar sounds of the night creatures soothed the prince and the presence of his people wandering the corridors calmed his mind. He let his feet take him where they will, no particular destination in mind.

He was only brought back to attention when something slammed into him, nearly knocking him onto his back. He let out a startled yelp but quickly silenced himself when he realized who it was. His bright eyes widened, his pale neck flushing furiously.

Iaurtondariel quickly backed away from him, muttering apologies under her breath. Her fingers played absently with her dark hair, eyes fixed on the ground. Ricamros struggled to bring words to his lips.

"Uh…my lady, what brings you out in the halls at such a late hour?" He inquired quickly and she shook her head.

"Nothing, I was just wandering." She replied just as hurriedly. Not wanting to be rude, the prince swallowed hard and shook off his anxiousness.

"Well, since we both have nothing better to do, would you mind gracing me with a walk?"

"I don't know- it is late."

"Please, my lady? How about I walk you to your chambers?" The elleth seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking anywhere but his eyes, and nodded once.

"I would be honored." She answered quietly. A nervous smile flitted across the Muru's lips as he held up his arm and the lady took it, both of them without ever meeting each other's eyes. As they walked, a tension hovered above them and all they passed seem to stray away from them, glancing at them with curious eyes.

"I hope you have settled in well." He started after a moment, shifting uncomfortably under the silence.

"Indeed, my lord." She answered stiffly. Her arm was rigid on his, "Being here brings back old memories. We never met when we were young, did we?"

"No, I do not believe so." Ricamros cleared his throat softly as he rounded the corner, "But I do remember hearing of you. Have you been well since then?" Iaurtondariel opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it, rethinking her words. The Muru prince noticed this but did not say anything.

"Yes, I have been fine." She replied. The prince's lips tightened- he could tell that was a lie.

"That is good to hear." Her response was only a curt nod, and then silence fell over them once more. And the Muru prince did not like it one bit, "I remember seeing you when you first arrived here with Incánus; you were still a young child then, as was your sister. Still to young to be left on your own, someone was always with you. I never had the chance to properly meet you, nor did my brother."

"Yet you seem to remember me." Ricamros barely managed to hide the falter in his steps.

"Well, yes, I do…how could I not?"

"You, too, were still a young child. How would a boy remember a girl who meant very little to him?"

The prince shuffled anxiously for a moment before answering tentatively, "I was…watching you."

"You were _watching_ me!" Iaurtondariel cried, jumping away from with wide, horrified eyes. The twin quickly shook his head in embarrassment, holding up his hands and looking every which way but at her.

"No, you misunderstand!" He exclaimed, "I just meant that I kept an eye on you to make sure you weren't hurt or lost."

"I had my maids, thank you very much! I didn't need a nosy prince watching out for me!"

"But my lady, I was only concerned for your wellbeing."

"I do not care what it was for, _my lord_. You should have some decency when it comes to a lady's privacy!" The Muru winced as her ranting increased, words flying off her tongue unheedingly. A few Muruien poked their heads out of the chambers to watch them with interested eyes.

"My lady…" He started, pleading with her, but was cut off by her continuous outburst, "My lady, please…" An agitated growl escaped his lips as she continued to ignore him. A glare in his eyes, he quickly turned to her and pressed his hand firmly against her mouth, silencing her. She gazed up at him, startled, "Hush, you are waking the-"

Ricamros's eyes widened when he realized he had done exactly the thing he had been trying desperately to avoid: look into her eyes. She seemed to sense the elevated tension as well as a faint blush spread up to her cheeks.

In the blink of an eye, a glow surrounded both of them, concealing them from the astonished gazes of the onlookers. The Muruien watched with baited breath as the light dimmed to nothing and darkness took over once more. Excited grins broke upon their faces at the sight that now sat before them.

Quaking with uneasiness upon the marble floor sat two small foxes; one silvery white while the other was dark in color, almost black. The silver creature had its tail tucked between its legs; it's claws clattering anxiously on the floor. The other did not move a single muscle in its body; it's silky fur standing on end. The two only stared at each other with shocked expressions on their faces. They did not even flinch when a bystander chuckled quietly.

A short yip came from the silver fox that promptly turned and hurried back down the hall; it's tail still between its legs. The black creature did nothing except stare, rooted to the spot.

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Norui awoke the next morning to a soft rapping on the door. For a moment, he thought he was back in Mirkwood in his soft bed. A small smile came upon his lips as he began to drift back to sleep but the knocking continued. Groaning slightly in displeasure, he raised his head from the pillow and looked around.

Memories of the day before invaded his mind and he frowned, hanging his head: this was not home. He lay there for a moment longer, trying to enjoy the comfort of the bed and blankets until he heard the door creak open slowly. He glanced over his shoulder to see Leneya peeking in, a smile upon her face. He returned it with his own, then sat up.

"Good to see you awake, my lord." She greeted, coming into the room and closing the door behind her, "I trust you slept well."

"The best I've had in a long time, thank you." He replied, smiling. This response brought a grin to the lady's lips. _Exuberant one_, he thought as she hurried over to him and sat upon the edge of his bed. He quirked his brow; _bold one, as well._

"The morning meal is being served in the dining hall. I believe your brother will be heading down there soon, if you would wish to join him."

"You have not told him I am here, have you?" He questioned and she quickly shook her head, a shocked look in her eyes.

"Oh no, of course not! I remember your words, my lord, have no fear." She answered, patting him on the hand, "Now, I'll leave you so you may dress and then I'll take you to the dining hall."

The Crown Prince hesitated as he looked upon her, worry shimmering in his eyes. Who knew seeing his brother again was going to be this blasted hard!

"No, could you just have someone bring it up to me? If it is not too much trouble, of course." He replied as he tried to mask the war that was raging in his mind. For the first time since he met her, Leneya frowned.

"Of course, my lord, bu eems like you would be anxious to see Lord Legolas again. Do you not wish to see him?"

"That is not it at all. I desire to see him above all else but I'm just not ready yet. It's not time."

"And when will it be time? What are you waiting for, exactly?"

Sighing, Norui placed his head in his heads and shut his eyes. He could still feel the maiden's questioning eyes on him and it unsettled him. For a moment, he was reminded of his mother's stern yet caring demeanor and he wished that she was here with him. He met her again in Mandos's Halls yet that was not enough. He wanted her back.

"My lord? I will help you in anyway I can. You just need to tell me what is keeping you." The ellon massaged his forehead with his knuckles for a moment, and then looked up to her with a small frown.

"I will tell you but you cannot tell anyone else."

And so he began to relay his story back to her. How he traveled with his companions all the way to the White Mountains where he was slain by the leader of the goblins. He indicated to the thin scar on his throat when she doubted the truth, and she was shocked to say the least. He continued to tell her how he was pulled unwillingly from the peace of the Halls and forced to endure the pain of returning. How he then met up again with Iaurtondariel and Espenshade, then continued to the city. He let his emotions spill out to her and Leneya listened with rapt attention to every detail, hanging on his words. She did not say a word until he let his head hang once more.

Awed, the lady touched the Crown Prince's shoulder gently and he looked up at her, "I truly do not know what to say, my lord." She said softly, "But I am honored that you felt you could trust me. Just tell me what I can do and I will see to it."

Norui smiled sadly at the maiden's determination and nodded, "Thank you, my lady Leneya. I feel as if a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders."

"It is nothing. Now, tell me what to do."

A small smile slowly grew upon the ellon's lips.

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Uhako jolted awake when a sharp kick impacted with his side. He grunted in pain, curling up into a ball, until he heard someone growl under their breath from behind. His eyes snapped open and he rolled over, gazing into the eyes of his female companion. She was still in her disguise, yet he could identify her in any form.

"Time to get up." She said, standing up, and he rolled his eyes. He came to his feet, stretching languidly.

"I can't believe we had to sleep in a closet." He muttered under his breath as he scrambled for the door. His hand found the handle and he pushed it open a crack, peering out into the hall- no body was around. He opened it fully, and then stepped out into the corridor.

"Well, believe it. Until we complete our mission, a closet will have to do." Turwaithiel replied, straightening out her robes, "Now come on." Uhako watched as she turned and strode down the hallway with a scowl on his face. Since when do I take orders from her, he thought.

"Do you have an idea?" He asked after he caught up with her.

"Not yet." She answered quickly.

"We need to think of something."

"I know that."

"Well, why don't we-"

"Shh!" The lady cut him off, slapping her hand over his mouth, and pulled him against the wall. His glare met her blue eyes and she placed her finger to her lips, "One of the twins is there in the next hall." She whispered quickly, "I think it is Tarmikos."

"What do we do?" He responded just as quietly.

"I do not know; we need to get down there." She replied, "Maybe I can distract him while you sneak behind, alright?" Uhako nodded.

"No problem." He said, smirking slightly and she smiled, "Good luck." She did not respond as she turned from him and headed directly towards the silent Muru.

Tarmikos shut his eyes as he leaned up against the wall, breathing deeply. The thick air of the dining hall had begun to choke him so he left in search of fresh air. Sure, he never ventured outside but this little patch of sunlight was enough for now. He barely heard the approaching footsteps of another, steps that he did not recognize, and he opened his eyes. He furrowed his brow- Ricamros?

His brother sauntered up to him, a smile upon his lips. But almost immediately, the twin narrowed his eyes and backed away. This did not feel like his brother. Maybe he did in appearance, but not his presence.

"Good morning, my brother." He greeted, smiling, "How have you been?" The younger twin only continued to gaze at this person with suspicious eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hands and moved them in a strange pattern. Turwaithiel frowned.

'_Oh no…I forgot about that! Now what?' _She mentally scolded herself, and then glanced back to the prince with a shrug.

"Forgive me, I cannot remember what that means." She said, swallowing hard. Already, this was not going as planned, "Could you write it out please?"

An inaudible snort came from the young Muru and he rolled his eyes discreetly. His brother would never ask him to write down his words yet he obeyed anyway. Without taking his bright eyes from the Muru, he reached into his pocket and took out a piece of parchment. He took out the feather from his hair and quickly scratched something down, then handed it to his 'brother'.

'Why aren't you in the dining hall?' It said.

"Ah, I've already had my fill for the morning." She answered but soon found herself shifting nervously under the prince's guarded eyes. He wrote another message.

'The meal started only ten minutes ago and Father never lets us out early. I am here because I snuck out while he was occupied.'

"Oh, well…he gave me permission. I was not feeling well."

'But you just said you had your fill.'

Turwaithiel cleared her throat nervously, scratching the back of her neck. Never did she believe that a mute Muru could be so intimidating! She felt as if he could see right through her disguise. What a brilliant plan this was!

"Forgive me, Tarmikos. If you will excuse me." She muttered hurriedly and strode in the opposite direction, face staring down at the ground. Shivers were sent up her spine at the feeling of his eyes on her.

A few moments later, she heard him walk away and she sighed in relief. Opening her eyes, she was met with those of the amused Uhako, a small grin upon his face. She scowled.

"I don't want to hear a word from you." She growled.

"Did I say anything?"

"Be quiet!"

"I didn't say anything!"

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It seemed all anyone could do for the past day is frown, Legolas thought as he massaged his forehead with two fingers. The strange feelings he had been having had intensified and was beginning to hurt his head, so much so that he asked to be excused from the meal. And he could not help but notice Leneya sending him frequent secretive looks, as if she knew something he didn't. It was all very strange. And with the new knowledge of his beloved pet falcon, he doubted if anything would ever be the way they were before.

Speaking of her, he had not yet had the chance to speak about everything that had been kept secret. He wondered if his mother knew the princess's secret when she gave her to him. But most importantly was, why didn't she tell him?

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway and he looked over, and then smiled softly. He motioned for the person to come to him and she obeyed happily. When she had sat down beside him, he placed his arm around her waist and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"What brings you here, my lady?" He asked.

"This room is as much mine as it is yours, is it not?" Jaimea replied, earning herself a grin, "I just wanted to be sure you were alright."

"I am fine. My head just aches, is all, probably from all that has happened."

"Perhaps you just need to rest- it may do you some good."

"I do not know what I need." The prince said, "I feel as if something else has been awoken in me, though I cannot figure out what it is. Something important, I know, but what?"

"Espenshade, maybe?" The elleth suggested but the ellon shook his head.

"No, it began before that. Do not worry about it, it will pass in time." He gave her a smile of reassurance but she only glanced at him skeptically. A chuckle escaped his lips as he allowed himself to fall back onto the bed, his hair spreading wildly about his head. He felt the elleth stand up from the bed and he cracked open one eye to look up at her. She had suddenly gone rigid and an uncertain look upon her face.

"Legolas…" She started but never finished her sentence as the golden haired elf sat up quickly, eyes wide.

Standing in the doorway was the very lady that was most on his mind. She had rid herself of her tattered tunics and now wore a flowing, silver gown, her hair done up in a loose braid. Just by her posture, the prince could tell she was uncomfortable with the new clothing but she suffered through it.

"Um, good morning, my lady." He greeted weakly and the familiar frown found it's way to her lips.

"Are formalities suddenly necessary between us, Legolas?" Espenshade retorted, "I thought it may be a good time to speak of matters of late, if you are not busy."

"Oh, not at all." He replied hurriedly, plastering a quick smile on his face. But she could still tell he was hesitant. Giving him a forced smile as well, she came fully into the room and sat down beside him with her hands in her lap.

"If you would prefer I leave, just ask." Jaimea spoke up, already heading towards the door. Legolas made to stop her but she continued out the door without another word.

To say the air was tense would be an understatement. Where to start, both of them questioned themselves. Who knew things could be so awkward between two longtime friends. _Just wait until he meets Norui_, the princess thought to herself.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" The ellon began after a long moment.

"Yes but I was never sure when. Your mother and I made an agreement to keep it secret, to tell you only if it is necessary. The name I gave you the morning Daeron died was false." She answered. The harshness in her voice had left and, though it was still odd, the prince found himself a tad more comfortable.

"What was the reasoning behind that?"

"I do not know myself. She never told me for she was in too much of a hurry." At this, the ellon nodded. It was true- the night he was first introduced to the falcon; he had been viciously attacked in the halls by an elf who desired command over the Woodland Realm. The Queen had brought Espenshade to the wounded prince and, within a matter of minutes, had healed him to near health.

"I suppose I must thank you, then, for all of the times that I used your power. I hope I did not overtax you."

"I was always happy to help you and your companions." A small grin flitted across her face and the elf found himself chuckling softly.

"Now, would you mind telling me what this power is that your father was talking about? Yesterday in Elladan's chambers, I mean."

"It is a gift, my people say, that has never been seen before in any Muru except for our ancestors of old. It can give the wielder command above anyone they choose, if used correctly." She began, closing her eyes with a scowl on her face, "But I see it only as a curse. No good has ever come out of it for me."

She took a quick glance towards Legolas who was still watching her with anxious eyes. She could not help but smile at him, despite the mood that this topic set her in.

"As you know, my power is healing those who are ill or wounded but there is more to that 'gift'. I do not know how it happens, nor why, but with this comes the ability to bring those long gone back to this world." The prince's face quickly turned into a look of both shock and disbelief. That was just too incredible to believe.

"You mean…bring dead people back to life?" He gasped.

"You say it as if it is no important matter." Espenshade muttered and the golden haired elf quickly shook his head.

"No, that is not it at all! I am just trying to make sure I understand you correctly." He retorted hurriedly.

"You do."

"Oh." Almost immediately, a thought popped into his head and he felt his heart darken towards the lady. He could tell she sensed it from the sudden nervousness that emanated from her body, "So that means you could have saved my Naneth and my Gwador."

"I should never have said anything." Espenshade muttered bitterly as she jumped up and stormed towards the door, her fists clenched at her sides. He was no different than her father, she decided, only concerned with his own problems.

The anger in her heart flared even more when she heard him stand up and call her name, trying to apologize. And despite the situation, she could not help but smirk in self-satisfaction. With a new idea in mind, she quickly wiped the look from her face and whipped her head around with a scowl.

"Do you see now why I dislike my father so much?" She spat, "You think just the way he does- _why_ did I not save those who you loved? It matters not how I feel about it. You have only a mind for yourself."

"You know that is not true, Espenshade." The prince pleaded, coming to his feet, "I did not mean to offend you; I just cannot help but think that they could have lived if I knew of your…ability." The smile threatened to return to the lady's lips but she held it back. _If only he knew_, she mused.

Her answer was a scoff, crossing her arms over her chest. She did not look towards him again until she heard him drop back down onto the bed with a defeated sigh.

"Where has the Espenshade I've known gone?" He murmured to himself. Chuckling with a soft and gentle smile on her face, she returned to his side and sat down next to him. He looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

His heart lifted, the sorrow suddenly gone, when she reached up with two fingers and twisted them around the braid in his hair, giving it a playful tug.

"She is right here by your side, my lord, as she always has been and always will be."

**XXXXX**

**Yea, really crummy chapter. Sigh. Oh well, maybe the next one will be better. Please be sure to review!**

**And thank you to my wonderful beta! Thank you! glomp!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	43. When the Fire Takes Hold

**Yea, hey again. Sorry for the delay. Here is a chapter for you…**

_Italic represents Tarmikos' writing. _

**Bold represents flashback sort of things…**

**XXXXX**

Chapter 43- When the Fire Takes Hold

To say that the room was tense would be an understatement. Those gathered in the large study were having difficulties sitting upright in their seats, as the king seemed to glower at the wall. He obviously had not recovered from the return of his daughter and it felt as if he were casting the blame on them. That wouldn't surprise them, of course. Even Mithrandir who stood a little ways behind Judeqir seemed to be squirming in his boots.

"May I ask why you called us in here?" Elrohir questioned, attempting to be strong though his voice quivered.

"We need to make a decision on when you wish to set out after this Muru of yours." The silver haired king replied, his eyes narrowing at the elf. The peredhil wasn't sure if it was intentional or not- either way, it was quite intimidating, "The sooner you go, the more likely your people will live."

"When is it convenient for you, my lord? We are willing to go as soon as possible." Legolas answered. The Muru shifted his gaze to the prince, his brow furrowing in thought.

"I could begin casting the magic tonight for it may be a while before it takes affect. Also, the people would need to be informed of the decision. Would you be ready to go tomorrow?"

Quick glances were exchanged between the small group and simultaneously, they all nodded.

"Yes, my lord. We will."

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That was the conversation that had followed after the morning meal had come to an end and a servant lady had come to retrieve the companions. They had arrived before the king had and so spoke quietly to one another, questioning the reasoning for this meeting. This talk was quickly silenced though when the door to the study flung open, was slammed shut again, and Judeqir stormed to his desk where he sat for the next five minutes or so kneading his forehead in irritation.

Afterwards, they had all gone their separate ways- the dark haired twins to meander aimlessly in the halls with their sister and brother, the Mirkwood princesses to sit in silence in their rooms, and Legolas and Jaimea to gain some much needed time together. Though most of this was spent in silence as well. The companionship was enough to satisfy themselves, they decided. At least, for a while.

They soon found themselves weaving through the busy streets of the market outside the palace, eager Muruien bartering and dashing about cheerfully. The elves could not help but smile, walking side by side, as the young children laughed and called to one another, displaying their newly purchased trinkets. The golden haired prince made a mental note to himself to bring up the idea of setting up a market like this back in Mirkwood.

Muruien, the two elves soon realized, were talkative people. And with this trait came the love of spreading the latest news, which often would twist into completely new stories by the time it reached the far end of the market- more commonly known as gossip. That was the first thing that popped into their minds when ellon and elleth heard a young girl crying to her mother away from the crowd. Their sensitive ears quickly picked up on the conversation.

"Mama, I know what I heard the other day!" The girl pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I cannot believe you are still going on about that!" Her mother replied in annoyance, "Our prince did not speak! It is impossible for him to do so."

Almost instantly, the elves' eyes snapped to each other's in curiosity and wonder. Were they talking about Tarmikos? Surely, that girl must be mistaken. Legolas motioned his head in the direction of mother and child.

"Shall we see what is going on?" He suggested and Jaimea shrugged.

"If you wish." She replied. Without another word, the prince broke away from the crowd and towards the couple with the elleth in tow.

The girl's eyes widened as she saw the two elves approach from behind her mother. The woman continued to go on about the absurdity of the idea of their prince speaking and only stopped when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Her head quickly whipped around to see who had interrupted her but ended up staring in awe at the two beings.

"Is everything alright?" Legolas questioned, a small smile on his lips. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Jaimea was watching the young girl with a sympathetic look on her face. Had it been under different circumstances, he would have been grinning his head off.

"Yes, we are fine." The older Muru said after a while, her voice curious. It is not everyday you see a pair of elves in Banemera, "Thank you for your concern."

"We couldn't help but overhear you talking about your prince." The ellon continued, "Is it true that he spoke?"

"He sure did!" The girl broke in before her mother could reply, a wide grin on her face. The elleth smiled at her.

"Nonsense." The older Muru retorted, glaring at her daughter, "It is impossible."

"But I really did see him talking to Prince Ricamros!"

This definitely was an interesting thing, both elves said to themselves. It seems strange that some girl would make up a story about such a thing. Perhaps it would be best to actually take the idea into consideration. Maybe Tarmikos's voice was returning and he had not yet revealed it.

"It may be best to take it up with him himself." The ellon suggested, "We will be seeing him soon, probably, so you may join us if you wish." The grin on the girl's lips widened but the woman quickly shook her head.

"Nay, that is not necessary. We will just leave it as it is." She replied, earning herself a pout from her daughter.

"I insist." He continued, smiling, "I would like to know if it is true or not as well." The woman opened her mouth to retort once again but the little girl thought otherwise as she hurried from her mother's side and bounded over to Jaimea. She grinned up at the elleth, taking her hand in her own.

"Please, can I come with you? I won't be any trouble." She assured and the elleth couldn't help but smile back at her. She sent a glance towards Legolas who smirked right back.

"Of course, you may." The elleth answered, already leading the way back to the palace. The prince watched her as she meandered through the crowds, carefully avoiding being shoved by the other people. He began to dread entering the sea of Muruien once again, and he turned back to the flustered woman.

"My apologies, my lady. Would you like to come?" He asked. The woman only snorted and crossed her arms. The ellon took this as a no and he smiled, "Do not worry, my lady. We will bring your daughter back safe and sound." Another snort was his answer. Ignoring this, he bowed slightly at the waist and hurried after his companion.

By the time he reached the far end of the market, he had succeeded in knocking over three barrels of fruit, making a small child cry for his mother after he accidentally knocked a small cup of some sort of sweet smelling mush out of his hands, and being attacked by one of those long fingered creatures. So much for elven grace.

He spotted Jaimea and the young girl waiting at the doors of the palace and he quickened his pace, reaching them a few moments later. The elleth's eyes twinkled in amusement at his disheveled appearance and the girl stifled her giggles behind her hand. He rolled his eyes in reply though a smile could not help but sneak onto his lips.

"Alright, so let's find Tarmikos, shall we?" The golden haired prince said and without waiting for an answer, he passed into the ever-winding halls of the Muruien palace.

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Iaurtondariel lay on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling with wide, unseeing eyes. Her dark hair was twisted and splayed wildly about on the pillow, and she wore the same dress she had on the day before. After her little 'incident' with the silver haired prince, she had ripped back to her room, locked the door, and threw herself upon the bed. She did not move from that spot once, not even when the maids came knocking on her locked door.

How can that be possible, she asked herself over and over. How could both she and Ricamros have the same dominant form? Why _him_? She didn't even know him! It made sense now, the awkwardness that was between both of them whenever they were in the same room. But why? He was a great prince of the Muruien lands, while she was only a simple lady. The daughter of a lone elf and a Muru who lost his love. Surely, there must be someone who is better suited for him.

About the hundredth knock rapped on the door and the elleth sighed tiredly. Sitting up, she smoothed out her clothes and headed towards the door. Slowly, she opened it up to find the grinning face of a young maiden, not even at her majority. Silver curls fell from her head, bouncing as she bowed at the waist. Her blue eyes glittered at the elleth.

"Good morning, my lady. I have been asked to bring you to the library for reasons that I am not allowed to tell." She said happily and Iaurtondariel narrowed her eyes.

"Then I will not come if I do not know who called for me." She replied but the lady did not waver.

"You must come and see, Lady Iaurtondariel! It is a surprise for you." The elleth couldn't help but roll her eyes. Why allow this girl to drag her throughout the palace for some strange reason? But her curiosity got the better of her and she nodded once, sighing.

"Fine." She said and the maiden beamed. She clasped her hand in her own, and then preceded to pull her down the hallway. Iaurtondariel could barely keep up with her.

The girl did not stop giggling as they winded through never-ending passages and hallways. The other lady could tell that she was excited about what ever this was about and she could not help but be suspicious. She suddenly began to wish she stayed in her room and never had answered the door. This could not be something that she would enjoy. Blast her curiosity! Her suspicion escalated as they neared the library doors and she heard a very familiar male voice ranting inside, along with another male's amused replies.

The girl nearly fell on her back when Iaurtondariel froze in her tracks, apprehension radiating from her body. The child had led her right to the person she had no desire to see ever again! The other female looked up at her questioningly, continuing to tug on her hand.

"Come, my lady! Someone wants to see you." She grinned.

"No they do not! And I do not want to see him either!" Iaurtondariel retorted, glaring and pulling in the opposite direction.

"Sure he does! He was talking about you earlier and says he wants to talk." For a moment, the elleth was fooled by her words but quickly shook her head, her glare hardening.

"I think not!"

Suddenly, the doors swung open and crashed against the stonewalls, creating a resonating sound that carried down the hallway. A very disgruntled silver haired Muru Prince soon stormed out of the room, followed by a very eager golden haired male, and turned in the direction towards the two females. The young girl tightened her grip on Iaurtondariel's hand as they approached while the elleth only watched on in horror.

"I say it again, Siruho, I refuse to meet with that…!" The prince's words were cut off as he met gazes with Iaurtondariel and a deep sinking feeling found its way into his heart. Almost immediately, the Muru and elleth found themselves encircled by the golden light and were reduced to two small foxes. The two other Muruien snickered together- their plan had worked.

The silver fox paid little attention to the startled black creature, it's blue eyes settled angrily on the golden haired male. The fur on it's back stood on end, bristled with tension, and it's claws flexed on the marble floor. And suddenly, without warning, the small creature lunged for the other male; it's sharp teeth latching onto his arm.

The golden Muru growled loudly in pain, his fingers instinctively grabbing the scruff of the animal and tugging roughly. With a yelp, the fox released its hold and was thrown to the floor, only to quickly regain it's feet and chase after the startled Muru down the hallway. The silver haired female only giggled behind her hand. But when she turned to retrieve the black fox, she found it had already disappeared. Her ears were able to pick up the clicking of claws against floor, quickly making its way down the hall in the direction of the two males.

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Norui growled and buried his head under his pillow when yet another knock sounded on his door. He knew exactly who it was and what she wanted but he could only deal with so much of Leneya without going absolutely insane. Not to say that she was not easy to get along with, of course.

'_She is just too blasted energetic!_' The Crown Prince growled to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. The night before, the Muru princess had insisted in a trip to the markets and shortly after, a romp in the forest just outside the city's walls. This quickly led into a few laps around a nearby lake and only then was he able to escape the Muru's clutches and flee to his chambers. And now she was back, pounding on his door with probably some outrageous idea in her head.

Furrowing his brow, the ellon sat up slowly when he noticed the rapping had finally stopped. Now, suspicion was the only thing is his heart as he swung his feet off the bed. Carefully, he went to the door and opened it a crack to find the hall empty. He furrowed his brow again and turned towards the bed once more.

A startled gasp escaped his lips when he found the female Muru standing right before him, glowering with her hands on her hips. Despite himself, Norui found himself cowering under her intimidating glare.

"How did you get in here?" He questioned and she sighed in annoyance.

"The window." She replied. Quirking his brow, the elf looked over the Muru's shoulder and sure enough, the window was wide open, the curtains billowing in the slight wind. He smiled apologetically at her.

"Forgive me, I just need to rest." He said, taking a step around her and moving back to his bed, "But what can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you planned on joining us for the evening meal later today or if I should have something brought up to you." She answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Norui tensed for a moment, but quickly loosened up.

"I will eat here, if it is not too much trouble."

From the silence rose a tension that rendered them both uneasy. The Crown Prince fidgeted with the silky sheets on the bed.

"Norui, when are you going to put your 'plan' into action?" The Muru princess asked, moving to sit beside him. The tension increased tenfold.

"I do not know but it will be soon, I assure you." He responded, not looking at her,

"But it must be soon, my lord." Leneya began, her voice urgent, "The king has made an announcement that your brother and his companions will seek out the Muru that holds your people in his grasp tomorrow. He begins the incantation that will drop all Muruien powers after the meal. You must make a move soon before it is too late." Norui narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"I do not need instruction on this matter." He growled, "I will do it when I see fit."

"But what about your brother's feelings? And your friends?" The Muru retorted, her own voice angry, "They may not show it, but they are still wounded deeply by your death. And what happens if one or all of them die against that Muru? They will travel to the Halls of Mandos, expecting to reunite with you, bu hall not come to pass. They will reside forever in the Halls with no one but themselves and a false hope for company."

The ellon glowered at the woman but he knew she was exactly right. He would never admit that, of course. He was too proud and too stubborn.

"You know nothing of this, Lady Leneya. I know exactly what I am doing."

"Norui, if you knew what you were doing, you would have shown yourself to your companions the moment you arrived here in Banemera." The elf stared at her, speechless, for a long moment. Once again, she was right. Blast it, why does she have to be right? Norui grunted under his breath.

"I will reunite with them tonight, my lady, and I will use the plan that I have been carefully constructing." He said tensely and she smiled happily.

"That is more like it, my lord." She replied, her spirits once again high, "So, are you going to join us or do you still hold to your decision?" He seemed to ponder this for a short moment before nodding.

"I still wish to eat here and then I will carry through." He replied, although hesitantly.

"Do you promise?"

"I do."

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Tarmikos shut the doors to his father's study with a tired sigh. That had not been a fun meeting. How was he supposed to know where his brother and sister had gotten to? It's not like he was their keeper. The prince rolled his eyes skywards, running his hand down his face. No, not fun at all.

The sound of approaching footsteps down the corridor caught his attention and he sat up, casting his princely demeanor over himself once again. The chattering of a young girl met his ears and he quirked his brow. Why would a child be in the palace? His interest piqued, he moved away from the study and towards the voice.

Only to be slammed into by an excited, laughing girl, nearly loosing his own balance in the process.

Almost as quickly as it had happened, the young girl leapt back from him with wide eyes. She barely took one look at him before bowing deeply at the waist, her small hands clenched tightly together at her sides. A wave of bright hair fell in front of her face, hanging down almost to the floor.

"Please, forgive me, my prince!" She exclaimed and he could tell by the pitch of her voice that the grin had not yet disappeared, "We have been looking all over for you!" Tarmikos quirked his brow and looked up when he heard two sets of footsteps approaching. Even more confusion washed over him to see Legolas and Jaimea slowly walking towards him, small smiles on their faces.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Tarmikos." Legolas greeted as he came to a halt, "But we have a question for you." The Muru nodded once, watching the girl curiously as she bounced from foot to foot. Jaimea chuckled softly at the girl's antics, "This child has claimed that she heard you speak in the market the other day and we are interested in knowing if this happens to be true."

Had it not been under the same circumstances, the flabbergasted look on the silver haired prince's face would have appeared quite comical. It was a mixture between shock, regret, and pure confusion. The elves were quick to detect this surprise though the girl was oblivious to it all.

"Yes, my prince, remember?" She began happily, "I saw you walking with your brother and you spoke to him and I heard you but he said that you said nothing but I knew better because I heard you, even if no one else believes me!" She took a deep breath, still grinning. Tarmikos furrowed his brow. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but quickly shut it.

He pulled a crinkled piece of parchment from his pocket, removed the feather from his hair, and quickly scratched a message. He handed it to the girl and, as he had expected, the smile soon faded from her lips.

**I am sorry, little one, but my voice has not returned to me and I doubt it ever shall. I do not know whom it was you saw in the market but it was not I. **

"But…I know it was you. I saw you there, talking with Prince Ricamros." The girl said desperately, the parchment slowly slipping from her fingers onto the floor, "I know what I saw." The silver haired Muru looked from the child to the two elves with desperate eyes. Frowning slightly, Jaimea stepped forward and put her hand gently on the girl's shoulder.

"Come." She said softly, "Perhaps it is best we leave now." The elleth gave her a gentle nudge on the back and she started forwards, her wide eyes never leaving those of the prince. Tarmikos couldn't help but suddenly feel so helpless under her pleading gaze. He did not stop watching until they both disappeared around the corner.

Legolas cleared his throat softly, catching the Muru's attention, and he smiled sympathetically. The prince returned it with his own.

"This brings up an interesting question." The ellon commented, crossing his arms over his chest, "I cannot believe that the child would create stories about something like this." The silver haired Muru nodded once and the other continued, "What do you think?"

The prince picked up the dropped parchment from the floor and wrote, **There have been stranger things going on recently. And they do not sit well with me.**

Legolas furrowed his brow as he read, then said, "What do you mean?"

**This morning, I ran into my brother in the halls, and yet it was not he. His appearance was exactly as it should be yet the aura he gave off was not one that I am familiar with. And when he asked me to write my words, I knew that something was wrong. **

"What could it possibly be, though? Did he seem normal, aside from what you told me?"

**Not at all. He became very flustered and I grew more suspicious. And what puzzles me most is that he had an almost feminine way about him. Perhaps it was another Muru who disguised himself as my brother, though I do not know what would drive them to do so. **

Legolas pondered this for a moment, taking a heavy breath. This was, indeed, very odd. But what could it be? Was it, in fact, just a young Muru who wished to stir up trouble or was there something more behind it? What ever it was, the ellon thought, he didn't like the sound of it.

"It is odd." He started slowly, almost catching the other prince off guard, "I find it strange that right after this happens, a girl claims that she heard you speak and is confident in her words; I sensed no falsity in her voice." He looked up to be sure he still had the Muru's attention, "And that leaves only one suspicion left in my mind."

The tension still hung in the air as Tarmikos replied; **Someone may be disguising themselves as me, as well.**

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"My lord, please!" The golden haired Muru shouted through his laughter as he raced down the halls, two small creatures attached to his body. He was barely aware of the shocked and amused glances of his people around him, chuckling softly behind their breath. He deserves it, they all thought to themselves.

Even after about ten minutes of running, Ricamros and Iaurtondariel- still in their fox forms- were nowhere near ready to let this Muru escape. A shrill yelp erupted from the Muru as the prince dug his teeth into his shoulder while the female clamped her jaws onto his calf. Normally, the elleth wouldn't even think of behaving in this manner but somehow, this just felt right.

Suddenly, the golden haired Muru stopped in his tracks, nearly causing the two foxes to fly off his body. His eyes went wide with surprise as another Muru turned the corner, silver hair flowing down her back. And in the blink of an eye, two weasel like creatures stood in their place, frozen in their spot.

A squeak-like noise escaped the female and, energetically, hurried towards the male. Wide eyed, the other squirmed away from the two foxes and scurried down the hallway in the opposite direction, the female Muru chasing after him excitedly.

The silver fox clambered to his feet unsteadily, snorting softly, and watched as the two creatures scampered away. The other animal watched warily as he took a few cautious steps towards her and she let a low growl deep from her throat. He came to a quick halt before blinking and, in a puff of golden light, was thrust back into his true form.

Ricamros watched the fox carefully as she took a step back from him, then she, too, returned to her form. And the first thing she did was quickly turn her back to him with a huff.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" She muttered bitterly. The Muru winced slightly.

"Yes, I knew from the moment I laid eyes upon you, my lady. That was when I knew that I had to keep watch over you, to make sure you were all right. I did not want you to be injured for I knew of the future that we both would share together." He answered softly, knowing that his words would not please her in the least bit.

"You mean that you _assumed_ would come to pass. I never agreed to be your life mate, nor do I have the desire to be that. Find someone else, prince."

"But my lady, we have no option! This is the fate that has been set before us."

"And you expect me to just bend to your will? I think not!"

"You have no choice!"

An outraged gasp escaped the elleth, and the Muru soon regretted his words. Quickly, Iaurtondariel spun on her toes, raising her palm in the air, and swung it towards his cheek with a fierce scowl.

But the strike was stopped in its path as Ricamros shot his own hand up, catching her wrist in his palm. Unfortunately, this action caused their gazes to lock unwillingly with each other. The prince groaned in frustration. Not again.

But the transformation never came and both were left watching each other expectantly. Blinking in surprise, Ricamros glanced from their hands and back to her, then frowned.

"Why aren't we changing?" He questioned, as if the previous argument was forgotten.

"I don't know." She replied, the scowl gone. She glanced up to their hands as well, "But you can let me go now."

"No, I think it is because of that that we aren't changing." He said.

"You do not know that." She retorted.

"You are correct but I just have a strong feeling."

"Well, feeling or not, I want my arm back. So, if you would please be so kind." Quickly, she pulled her hand away and, unfortunately for her, found that Ricamros had indeed been correct in his assumption.

The black fox growled in anger as she sauntered down the hall, ears laid flat against her head.

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The day passed quickly and before anyone noticed, the sun had begun to sink. Birds disappeared into their roosts and the sounds of the forest changed. Strangely enough though, more and more Muruien began to emerge from their chambers to stroll the halls. The dinner bell would be rung soon and the people wanted to make sure they were ready.

As he approached the door to his chambers, Legolas could hear a soft weeping coming from inside. Furrowing his brow, he carefully swung open the door and glanced inside. Jaimea was perched upon the bed, humming softly under her breath, as her fingers trailed gently in the long locks of the small girl in her lap. Tears streamed down the child's cheeks, fists tightly clenched. The elleth looked up to the ellon as he closed the door.

"How is she?" He asked softly.

"Still upset, obviously." Jaimea replied, returning her gaze to the child, "But she'll be fine in time." The golden haired prince smiled as he strode towards them, and then sat down on the edge of the bed. The girl looked up briefly at him but quickly hid her face once more. The elleth brought the child closer to her chest, resting her cheek on top of her head. Legolas couldn't help but chuckle.

"You like children, I see." He said, gaining himself a small smile.

"Which female doesn't?" She laughed. Legolas's smile grew, "How about yourself? Or is a prince too busy to interact with the lesser folk?"

"You know that is not true, Jaimea." He reprimanded playfully, moving to sit beside her. He carefully lifted one finger and let it caress the child's cheek, "Though I admit I have never had much experience with children."

"You should try it sometime. They are amazing to be around, to see how a child's mind works."

"You mean pulling on your hair and crying?" He grinned cheekily and the elleth smacked his shoulder teasingly.

"No, you immature elf, that is not what I meant." She chided, grinning, "Not all of them are like that. Though I am sure you were." The elleth laughed at the proud smirk that graced the prince's lips. Leaning over, she placed a quick peck on his cheek that made his smirk grow into a grin.

"Is that all I get?" He asked.

"Yes, it is. There is a child here and her mind does not need to be spoiled because of you."

"Me? I think not. You are the one in control every time."

"What? Where have you been?"

"With you, of course." He replied, "Doing this."

Beaming, he placed his lips gently upon hers and instantly felt the elleth melt under the kiss. He let his fingers trail along her jaw before pulling away and nuzzling his nose into her neck. Jaimea sighed softly, placing her free hand on the back of his head, and closed her eyes.

But those eyes quickly snapped open when she felt a small hand tugging on her sleeve. She cleared her throat and Legolas backed away with a furrowed brow. When he saw the puffy eyes of the girl staring up at them, he flushed a faint tinge of pink.

"Lady Elf, who is he? Are you two friends?"

"Uh…" Was the only thing Legolas could get out.

"No, little one. He is…my brother." Jaimea answered quickly, smiling more to reassure herself than the girl. The ellon shot her a glance.

"Oh." She said. She glanced between the two and wrinkled her nose, frowning, "Mommy says that brothers and sisters aren't supposed to kiss. She says it's bad."

Legolas's cheeks changed from a faint pink to a flaming red.

"Well then!" Jaimea exclaimed nervously, clapping her hands gently on the girl's shoulders, "How about you and I go for a walk, hmm? Dinner will be ready soon and I'm sure your mother is worried."

Quick motions and silent exclamations in frustration were exchanged between the two elves as the elleth passed out the door, the girl cradled on her hip. When the door clicked closed, the golden haired prince growled under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest in a pout.

"Legolas, you shouldn't act so childish." An airy voice called from the open balcony, causing the elf to jump slightly, and he turned to face the person. He smiled uneasily.

"Hello, Espenshade." He greeted, sliding from the bed and moving towards her slowly. Even though the whole 'incident' had happened a few days ago, his mind still couldn't cope with his falcon actually being a Muru. He came to stand beside her and placed his hands on the railing, looking up at the darkening sky, "It is a beautiful night, is it not?"

The prince couldn't help but notice the beauty of the woman before him as she turned to him. The dim light reflected on her fair tresses and sapphire eyes glittered with ancient memories. Her golden skin had not a blemish and appeared soft even to the eyes. Her green and silver gown clung to her body in all the right places, the thin sleeves blowing gently behind her in the slight wind. It became apparent to the ellon why she had been adored so much by her former lover.

"Aye, it is." She replied softly, giving him a half-hearted smile. The elf found it strange that this lady was so much more different than the one he knew before.

"Is there something wrong?" He questioned, seeing the sadness in her eyes. Espenshade bit her lip thoughtfully, turning back to gaze at the stars. She did not speak for a long moment but Legolas kept his tongue.

"On nights like these," She began softly, "Daeron would come wake me in my chambers, even though he was not permitted in the palace, and we would run in the forest together. We would swim in the lake underneath the stars, and laugh. He would tell me how much he loved me and that one-day, we would be able to love each other without worry of being found out. It was forbidden, a princess to love a commoner- and one who is a thief, no less. But what can be done about it? We were destined our whole lives to be together but no one could accept it." She paused in her words, stopping to catch her hitching voice. Legolas kept his attention on the lady, a small frown on his lips.

"He was caught one night by a maid as he snuck down the hall to my room. She alerted the guards and they captured him before he even had the chance to flee the palace. When my father found out, he was furious. He wanted to behead him and was willing to do so himself but the court ordered otherwise and Daeron was banished from this land. I still remember the sorrowful and longing look he held in his eyes as he left the city in exile. And then my father turned to me.

"He called me a tramp and told me that I was not fit to be his daughter. Despite Ricamros's and Tarmikos's pleading, I was cast away as well. That was many years ago, I have lost count exactly how many, and this is the first time I've been here since. Despite the years, my father and I still hold that grudge."

The Muru did not notice the tear that slid slowly down her cheek and Legolas brushed it away gently. He gave her a comforting smile when she turned to look at him and she returned it as best as she could.

"I am sorry that your romance did not end well." He said gently, "I looked up to him, in that short amount of time that I knew him." She gave him a small smile but it did not reach her eyes. With a heavy sigh, the woman brought her hands to her shoulders, rubbing them slowly. In response to this, Legolas drew her close, wrapping his arm around her waist, and she relaxed into his embrace.

"I can still see his glittering eyes, only in his youth, and I can still hear his laughter. My skin still quivers when I think of his long, silver hair gliding over my arms and shivers shoot up my spine at the thought of his fingers' sweet caress. The years without him have been long." She swallowed back the lump in her throat, "I miss him."

He said nothing, only giving her a small squeeze. Only after a long moment did he speak.

"Why did you not bring him back? When he died, you could have returned him to the living but you did not. Why?" He questioned hesitantly. Espenshade took a shuddering breath, and then turned her head to face him quickly.

"It was so tempting, Legolas, to think only of myself and bring him back. But I did not because I knew my powers would be needed at another time. If I brought him back- or even my oldest brother or my mother- things would not unfold as they were meant to." She replied carefully and the ellon nodded.

"So that is the reason, as well, that you did not bring back my brother?" The Muru jolted slightly at the question and she glanced up at him, then down to the banister.

"Legolas, I-"

"No, forgive me. I should not have asked." She put a hand up to silence him.

"Legolas, please. Your brother…" She paused to chew on her lip, "He's-"

The door to the main chambers swung open and both snapped around to face the new person. A dark haired lady rushed in, a grin on her face, as she spotted the two on the balcony. Her grin growing ever wider, she hurried over to them.

"Come, my lord! You must see something!" She exclaimed, tugging on his hand.

"My lady Leneya, what is it?" The prince asked, frowning. Espenshade shot him a quick glance.

"You will see, just come!" And with that, she left the room just as quickly as she had come. Legolas glanced back to the lady and, with a shrug, hurried after the Muru.

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The two did not stop running the halls until they entered one large room that was bare of anything except for a few placed chairs along the wall. The ceiling was made of glass, allowing the stars to cast their light inside, and the floors appeared black, as if gazing up into the heavens. At the opposite end of the room were two doors, leading out to a large balcony where faint lanterns were lit. The room seemed abandoned.

"Why did you bring me here?" The prince questioned, turning back to Leneya. The grin never left her lips as she motioned towards the door at the opposite end. With a furrowed brow, Legolas turned back to the doors and took careful steps forward.

Much to his confusion, the feeling that had been growing inside him began to pulsate and he paused in his steps. Grimacing, he placed his hand over his heart and felt it pounding rapidly against his chest. A spark seemed to ignite in him deep within in his soul and, suddenly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go through those doors.

But one glance from the lady told him otherwise and he hurried forward.

The door creaked slightly as it shut behind him and the elf glanced around. Nearly concealed in the shadows stood a lone figure, clad in a dark cloak that touched the ground, hood drawn up. A pressure seemed to appear out of nowhere, rushing into his chest, and he suddenly recognized the presence of the one in the cloak.

His eyes widened, breath hitched, as the person came towards him, their own steps hesitant. Legolas stood rooted to the spot, his lips moving but no words coming out. The person slowly cast down their hood to allow dark, mahogany hair to cascade down their shoulders and emerald eyes to shimmer sadly at the golden haired ellon. A lone tear trailed down pale skin as the corners of his lips tilted up into a small smile.

"We meet again, dear brother."

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The bell for the beginning of the meal would be sounding soon and Tarmikos had not yet arrived. His soft footsteps sounded down the hall as he hurried towards the door. If he was not there on time, no doubt there would be consequences to pay. The removal of the Muru powers would be undergone and that was something that could not be missed.

Suddenly, a throbbing on his throat caused the prince to stop abruptly and he placed his hand on his neck, grimacing. Another throb and he found himself collapsing to the floor in pain, gasping for air. Darkness clouded his vision as he was forced to watch for the second time the most horrifying moment in his life.

**XOX**

**Screaming woke him from his slumber and he bolted upright in his bed, senses alert. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as another scream broke the silence. Quickly, he leapt from his bed and dashed out the door to find that his twin, Ricamros, was already in the hall. He strode over to him.**

"**Brother, what is going on?" He asked, his voice still laced with sleep. The older prince shook his head.**

"**I do not know, Tarmikos." He replied, walking in the direction the screams originated from. The other Muru hurried after him as a feeling of dread washed over him. The sounds seemed like they came from the King and Queen's chambers. **

**XOX**

An unbearable heat began to form deep within his throat, and his eyes began to water. The feeling in his limbs began to fade and unconsciousness threatened to take him.

**XOX**

**As the screams grew louder and crashing could be heard, the twins quickened their pace and were not surprised to see their oldest brother already heading in the same direction.**

"**Birih!" Ricamros called quietly, catching the other Muru's attention. The golden haired prince looked back quickly, fear in his deep blue eyes. **

"**It is Mother and Father, Ricamros. Someone is in their room, I can sense it." He explained hurriedly, and then resumed his run. The twins exchanged looks between each other before following. And, not to their surprise, they found their sister was close behind them. **

**XOX**

Death flashed before Tarmikos's eyes as he saw it all play out. His heart and mind screamed for release from this torture but the pain only grew worse.

**XOX**

**Just as Birih had said, the sounds were coming from the room of their parents. Fear took hold of the siblings' hearts as they neared. Without hesitation, the Crown Prince swung open the door so that it crashed loudly against the wall. They froze at the sight within. **

**A female lay mangled on the bed, blood staining the crisp sheets. Her golden hair was twisted around her face and her face was contorted into the expression of absolute terror. Navy eyes shimmered no longer. **

**And over in the center of the room stood a lone, dark figure. Wavy brown hair fell across his cold blue eyes, his face twisted into a malicious smirk. He was clothed in a dark tunic with a long cloak that almost touched the bloodstained carpet. Had it not been for the blood splattered on his face and clothes, he would have been handsome. **

**But at his feet was the silver haired King of Banemera, bleeding heavily from a chest wound. His fading eyes glanced over to his children, lips moving but no words being said. **

**The person seemed to notice this and looked to the doorway, only to have the smirk twist into a dangerous grin. A sickening noise sounded as he drew his sword from his belt.**

"**Ah, I see the royal brats have decided to join our little game. How wonderful." He hissed, licking his lips. The four young Muruien barely had time to dodge him as he swung the blade wildly yet expertly at their heads. **

**XOX**

The feeling of his hands squeezing his neck shook the very core of the ailing Muru. His body pitched forward, throat constricted. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead and the color left his face. He could still feel it…

**XOX**

**He could do nothing as he watched his twin be cast to the ground, bleeding from the leg and crying out in agony with the ball of his palm pressed against his right eye. Espenshade was roughly tossed aside like a rag doll, her temple catching the edge of the night table. Birih already lay dead on the bed, still laying over his mother's body to protect her, even in death. Now all that was left was him and this creature. **

**The person's eyes narrowed to slits, the smirk appearing on his lips once again. Tarmikos swallowed hard, eyes wide, as the person drew his tongue across the side of the blade, licking up the crimson liquid of his family. **

"**What a nice taste." He commented cruelly, "But it is not complete until I add yours to the mixture, princeling." Before he knew it, the prince found himself gasping for air as fingers clasped around his neck, slowly destroying his throat. Despite himself, he could not draw his eyes away from the person's. **

"**Who…who are you?" He rasped, his eyes hazy.**

"**Glad you asked." He replied, grinning, "I am called Eruko. Always remember that name, princeling, and know that it caused your death." He brought the point of his blade to his heart, "Any last words, _my prince_?" **

"**Catch this." **

**Eruko let out an agonized scream as a long blade was thrust into his back, narrowly missing his heart and lungs. He dropped to the floor, releasing Tarmikos from his hold. All he could do was sit there in shock and pain, wheezing. **

**The lightheaded Muru prince glanced up to see his father kneeling on the floor before losing consciousness. **

**XOX**

Almost as quickly as it had come, the pain dispersed and Tarmikos took in a large breath of air. Oxygen quickly rushed back into his body as he slumped against the wall, eyelids drooping. What was all that about? What had caused this? His body quivered under the stress.

He was quickly brought to attention, though, as a cold feeling washed over his tired body. He stiffened, sitting up and leaping to his unsteady feet. He held his breath.

A dark shadow appeared along the far wall, moving slowly towards him. Anger, malice, and hate radiated off the approaching form and the silver haired Muru found himself quivering with terror. In his heart, he knew who this was and was not at all prepared to face it alone.

_I cannot believe this_, he thought to himself as he fled towards the dining hall, _How could he be here? Why would he come here? _

The doors to the hall approached and he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He did not stop to open the doors, only busting through them instead. The chatter of the people died abruptly and he saw Judeqir stand up from his seat. Pure fear welled itself up in his heart and he cried out:

"Father, he's back! He's back! _Eruko has returned_!"

**XXXXX**

**Dun dun dun. Yup, that was an interesting chapter, was it not? A lot of year old plans have been changed drastically. Bwahaha. I think that was the first cliffy I've had in a long time, too. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! And thank you again, Ty, for betaing! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	44. Setting the Stage

**I return to thee! I hoped you liked the last chapter. And to those two reviewers, thank you very much. I will address your comments at the end of the chapter. Here you go.**

**And yes, Sabre. _That_ scene is in here. Bwahaha. **

**XXXXX**

Chapter 44- Setting the Stage

"_We meet again, dear brother." _

A whirlwind of emotions seemed to rage in his heart as he stared up at the brother he thought long gone. An almost painful feeling, it was, as his soul felt complete and safe once again. He did not whether to be happy and laugh, or to be angry and shun him away. It was impossible for this to happen, for an elf to return so soon after his death. How had this happened?

At the stunned look on the young ellon's face, Norui felt his confidence diminish. Emotions flitted across Legolas's face, and not all of them were encouraging to the Crown Prince. This was what he had feared; that his little brother would reject him, believing him false. It was inevitable. How could he have thought that he would understand? Tears began to glisten in his eyes.

"I am so sorry, Legolas." He muttered with defeat in his voice, "I am sorry I forced you and everyone else to suffer because of me."

The golden haired prince said nothing, only biting his lip tentatively, as he slowly brought two fingers up to the other ellon's face. He let them rest carefully on his cheek before moving them hesitantly under his emerald eye and trailing them down the bridge of his nose. They passed over his lips and stopped on his chin, then faltered, quickly retreating to his side again.

Norui did not pull back, letting his brother do this. If this would help him accept that he was indeed the same person, he would stand it. His gaze did not waver as Legolas brought his confused, blue eyes up to meet his. His lips opened to speak but he could not find the correct words to say. How was he supposed to react? What if this was some trick, some deception that only waited for him to let his guard down before springing into action? But he felt the same, in appearance and in spirit. He opened his mouth again but was quickly cut off.

"I know what you must be thinking, brother, but you must believe me when I tell you that I have returned to the world of the living. I was pulled back by means that I will never understand, and never hope to. Ask me not how, for I will give you no answer aside from my own guesses." He said softly and slowly, allowing it to sink it. He was willing to take as long as the young prince needed, even if it meant the rest of eternity.

A few more silent and uneasy moments passed them by yet no words were spoken. The Crown Prince grew tense under his brother's stare and he fidgeted with the ends of his sleeves.

"Please, Legolas, say something." He begged hoarsely, tears welling up in his throat. All hope was nearly lost in his heart and he took a step back in defeat, "What must I do to-"

His words were cut off and his eyes widened in shock when Legolas suddenly leapt forward, wrapping his arms around the ellon's body in a desperate embrace. His shoulders began to wrack with sobs and Norui felt a wet spot form quickly on his tunic from the tears of his brother. Immediately, he returned the embrace with his own and his spirit rose. An almost giddy-like feeling erupted in his heart.

"How can this be possible?" Legolas whispered to himself, his fingers gripping onto his brother's tunic as if his life depended on it, "There is no way you could have returned."

"But I have, Legolas, and that is all that matters." The older elf said, tightening his hold, "I just wish there was some way I could make it up to you and our sisters."

"It was not your fault, Norui, but mine. I should have come to your aid when you needed it but I didn't. My mind was blurred and I made the wrong decision."

"Do not say that, Gwador. You made the right decision; the blame cannot be placed solely on you." Norui felt his brother's breath catch in his throat before another wave of tears came forth. (brother)

"I was so confused, Norui, and terrified. Terrified of what would become of me and everyone else. In a matter of minutes, I had become the Crown Prince and possibly even the King of Mirkwood! That, in itself, struck fear in my heart." Legolas whispered hoarsely, his cerulean eyes wide yet unseeing. He then heard his brother's laughter rumble in his chest.

"You brought stress upon yourself and let your mind wander." He said, smiling, "Besides, I do not think the Valar would wish to torture Middle Earth in such a way." Legolas furrowed his brow slightly as he looked up at the ellon but found a grin upon his lips. Blinking in surprise, he allowed a smile to grace his lips.

"You have no faith in me, Norui." The smile turned into a grin as the laughter escaped the Crown Prince's chest. The golden haired prince found peace in the sound and he soon found himself joining in with his own cheerful laughter. Tears of sadness turned into those of joy and after a long moment, they separated, "I have missed you, Gwador."

"And I have missed you." They stayed like this for a moment more, relishing in the feeling of meeting once more. But Legolas quickly jumped back, the same grin on his face.

"There is so much that you have missed, brother!" He said, beckoning for him to follow, "I have found that-" Suddenly, he cut himself off and his body stiffened. The elated expression on his face faded and was replaced with a hard frown. When he looked back to his brother, he found the same tension.

"Do you feel that, Legolas?" Norui questioned anxiously, his fingers fidgeting for the sword that was missing from his side. The younger ellon nodded.

"I do." He replied darkly, "And I do not like it." The Crown Prince exhaled deeply.

"You read my mind."

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Whether it was from the words that came from his lips or the fact that words did, indeed, come from his lips that left them speechless, Tarmikos didn't know. Either wouldn't surprise him but that was the least of his worries. Only one thing ran rampant in his mind.

After so many years without words, he had finally spoken.

As if it would do anything to answer his questions, he brought his fingers to his throat and found the skin warm- warmer than it should have been. He swallowed hard but could not find the courage to speak again. He feared it was only a momentary thing and when he tried again, he would find his voice stolen once more.

He looked back up to his people and found his father staring at him with wide eyes. He noticed neither Ricamros, Espenshade, nor Leneya sitting by his side. Tension suddenly hung thick in the once joyful dining hall and no one made a move nor a sound. Judeqir, the king, shifted in his seat.

"Tarmikos," His voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat, "My son, did you just-"

"Father, please!" The Muru called again, his voice surprising himself again, "I can feel Eruko's presence somewhere in the palace though I am not sure where he is. We must find him!"

The King shook his head quickly as if to clear his mind, "Are you sure?" He questioned, coming to a stand. Tarmikos nodded quickly.

"Positive, father."

A bolt of lightning flashed outside the large window, illuminating the frightened eyes of the Muruien people. Amongst the crowd, the silver haired prince could pick out the small group that he had helped lead to the city and he found them coming to a stand slowly, anxiousness radiating off of their bodies. But they said no word.

"Tarmikos." The king said again, catching the attention of his son, "I want you to find your brother and sister and inform them of Eruko's return." He then turned to his people, "And I want all of you to calmly return to your homes as quickly and quietly as you can. I do not want any casualties this night."

The Muruien did not speak a word as they stood from their seats. Mothers took their children's hands, and husbands ushered their families together. As if nothing was wrong, the people filed out of the room and hurried to the safety of their homes. Judeqir watched them with stoic eyes. The companions rose from their seats as well to return to their chambers but were quickly stopped by the king's voice.

"No, you will stay here." He commanded, "I must speak with you." They all glanced upon him with worried eyes and, reluctantly, took their seats. Only when all had cleared out did he turn to them again.

"What are we to do, my lord?" Elladan called to him, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"It is time for you to fulfill the purpose of your coming." He answered,.

"But you have not even begun to lower the powers of the Muruien!" The ellon exclaimed again as his sister drew nearer to his side, "We are not ready to face him."

"I will begin immediately after you leave and you must do your best to fight him, should you cross paths. Do not wander alone and stay in your chambers; you will find safety there for a short time." He answered hurriedly, "Now go!"

And they obeyed without a moment's hesitation. Only when they saw out of the corner of their eye a magnificent light form around the king's body did they stop, but the doors were quickly shut behind them.

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"Hurry!" Elrohir called as he waited for his companions to pass him by, one by one. He mentally kept a count of how many were there every time he stopped and his heart feared that he would find one missing. When Lothron passed him by, he continued on behind her.

The doors to their chambers loomed before them and they came to a halt. All seemed reluctant to leave each other's company and they glanced between each other worriedly.

"We should go to Ricamros's and Tarmikos's room." Estel commented after a moment of quick arguing, "It is larger and has more areas to hide, if it is necessary."

"'Hide'!" Elladan scoffed, "We can take him!"

"I agree with Estel!" Melyanna argued, glaring at the ellon, "If you are that willing to fight, you can stay out here and guard the door." And without another word, the elleth stormed into the room, slamming the door behind her. Without a moment's hesitation, the others followed, leaving an irritated Elladan in the empty hall. He growled in his throat.

"Fine." He muttered and hurried after his companions.

He found that his brothers had already started scavenging the room for any weapons and the ellyth had huddled together on one of the beds. He did a quick count of them, just as his twin had, and frowned.

"We are missing Mithrandir, Legolas, and Jaimea." He commented and Elrohir looked over to him.

"Mithrandir stayed behind with the king." He replied, "And the last time I saw Legolas and Jaimea, they were in their chambers. But that was a while ago." The older Noldo nodded.

"I will check for them." He said. His brother nodded once with a small smile, then resumed his hunt.

As soon as he stepped out the door, Elladan felt his skin prick and he quickly scanned the hallway. It was only a few doors down but he felt it necessary. His feet made no sound as he traveled down the carpet and came to the prince's door. He slowly opened the door and peered inside.

His heart leapt in his throat when he saw no one in the room. Swallowing hard, he cautiously went inside and shut the door behind him. His eyes scanned the dark room closely, searching for his two friends.

He nearly jumped when another lightning bolt crashed in front of the balcony and rain pelted heavily upon the ground but, for a split second, he caught a glimpse of a person outside. He sighed deeply, loosening the tension in his body. Espenshade.

"My lady?" He called quietly as he strode to her. She did not turn to face him, her fingers gripping tightly onto the railing. He stopped at the balcony doors, "My lady, why do you stand in the rain? You will catch cold."

"I am alright." She replied so quietly he had to strain to hear her.

"But have you not heard? Eruko is in the palace somewhere. Will you come with me?" He questioned. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder at him with a small frown.

"I can sense his presence, my lord, but I will not hide from him. I need no protection."

"Even so, I would feel better if you came with me to the safety of my companions." He pleaded, "We all would." She only watched him a moment longer with sorrowful eyes before turning out the falling rain once more. Elladan rolled his eyes with an irritated growl, then turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Espenshade did not flinch.

Elladan hurried back into the other room, closing the door quickly behind him. He glanced around, furrowing his brow, when he found his companions no longer there. His heart began to quicken but when he heard their hushed voices, he relaxed and moved away from the door. He went towards them and what he found surprised him.

In the corner of the room, surrounded by the company, was Ricamros with his palm pressed firmly against his right eye. Beads of sweat trailed slowly down his forehead and his teeth were gritted together, as if he were in pain. Every few moments, he would make a soft moan under his breath and his body would tense.

"What is wrong with him?" Elladan asked quickly as he approached hurriedly.

"We are not sure." His twin replied, not bothering to look at him, "We didn't even know he was here until we heard him crying out a few moments after you left. He hasn't moved since." The older twin turned away from his brother back to the Muru and chewed his lip slowly with a worried expression.

"Try to carry him to the bed so he may relax. Arwen may be able to help him." Elrohir nodded quickly and motioned for his foster brother, Estel. Together, the two lifted his stiff body carefully from the floor and brought him to rest on the bed. Almost immediately, his form loosened and he took a deep sigh. The group watched with bated breath as he slowly moved his hand away from his eye, blinking slowly. The elves could sense a sudden confusion emanate from his body.

"My lord?" Arwen called softly, catching his attention. He looked up at her slowly, furrowing his brow as he gazed upon her. They all watched him curiously as placed his hand over his left eye, then remove it, only to replace it again. He took a sharp intake of breath.

"What is it, Ricamros?" Lothron questioned.

"My eye…" The Muru prince whispered, "I can see…" A strange wave of emotions flitted rapidly across his face and the companions were not sure if he were happy or upset with this new turn of events, "How is this possible?" He breathed.

"Perhaps it has something to do with Eruko's return." Estel suggested and Ricamros turned to him sharply, eyes wide.

"Eruko is in the palace?" He questioned quickly and was replied with a slow nod. He swallowed hard, "Is my father casting the spell yet?" Another nod.

Sighing heavily, the prince closed his eyes tightly as his mind raged with incoherent thoughts. His head dropped back down the pillow, ignoring the worried glances of his friends around him. This was not how it was supposed to happen…

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The two stiffened as they crept silently down the deserted hallway, the hair on the back of their necks standing on end. Navy blue eyes darted around anxiously as they searched the hall for the one they knew drew near. Quickly, one approached the other.

"Do you feel that?" Uhako whispered to her and she nodded once.

"I do, yes." Turwaithiel replied.

"Why has he come, do you think?"

"I know not."

Suddenly, a dark coldness enveloped around their bodies and they shivered, drawing near to one another. Their skin pricked on their arms as a chilling breeze blew down the corridor and tousled their silver locks, whipping wildly around them.

"I come," Hissed a dark, menacing voice, drawing ever nearer to them, "Because those who I sent seem to find it too difficult to complete their job." Both Turwaithiel and Uhako swallowed hard as a cloaked figure materialized before their wide eyes. As always, no face nor body was visible from underneath the black robes except for two oddly shaped legs.

"Please, my lord Eruko," The lady began as she slowly approached him, "We are not to blame. The time has never arisen for us to make our move. If given more time, we could do as you ask." Eruko snorted in annoyance.

"Your time has run out, lady, and I can give you no more." He answered, "You must accept the consequences."

"But my lord!" She persisted, her voice growing desperate, " Please, just one more chance! Give us one hour only and we will fulfill your commands."

An anger radiated off Eruko's body but he said nothing as he contemplated this request. Both Muru watched hopefully as their master grunted in distaste. Finally, he crossed his arms.

"So be it. I give you both one last chance and one chance only. You have an hour," Suddenly, the disguises as the two Muruien princes faded from their bodies and their eyes widened as they returned to their normal forms, "And you must do it without aid of your powers." He finished.

"But my lord-"

"No, Turwaithiel. Either accept this or else." His deep voice had a warning tone to it and the lady quickly shut her mouth, swallowing hard.

"Yes, Lord Eruko." She answered, lowering her head in a bow. An agitated sigh came forth from the cloaked being and, as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared in a wisp of anger and coldness. Uhako stepped up slowly beside his life mate, his face stoic.

"What do you propose?" He questioned

"I'm working on it, Uhako."

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The heavy door slammed shut, shaking the paintings on the walls and threatening to tip a single vase off the night table. The frustrated elleth stormed towards the bed and cast herself upon it, screaming in anger into the comforter. Her fists curled around the sheets tightly, so tight her knuckles turned white.

"Why _me_!" She growled, her face still buried, "Why must he be my life mate!"

Iaurtondariel closed her eyes tightly as she willed her anger to pass. Slowly, she rolled over to her back and stared up at the ceiling with a scowl.

"He is so arrogant and idiotic! What have I done to deserve this?"

Confusion and apprehension escalated as she thought on the matter. What if she didn't want to fall in love with him and be with him for the rest of her life? There had to be some way out of it. It could not be forced upon her.

Though at the same time, she felt something growing within her heart that made her feel giddy. Something that, every time she saw the young prince's handsome face, made her feel as if she were floating on air. But as soon as it began to rear its head, she forced it back down with her anger and ignored it. It would not get the better of her, she told herself, he would not win.

But as she lay there, contemplating this, a cold feeling began to make its way up her spine and she shivered. It felt as though a darkness was wrapping around her body and it unnerved her. With a deep breath, she sat up and looked towards the door where the feeling seemed to originate.

Furrowing her brow, she stood from her seat and went to the door, peering out into the empty corridor. A chill breeze blew across her face and she inhaled sharply, quickly recoiling back into the room. She shut the door behind her, pressing her back up to the wood. Suddenly, she began to wish that her room was closer to…

She growled, "No! I do not need that Ricamros to protect me." Scowling, she searched her room until she spotted her long knife leaning in the corner. With a steady breath, she retrieved the weapon and drew it from its sheath, examining the twisting elvish letters as it gleamed in the moonlight pouring in. Her emerald eyes darted back to the door, "I can take care of myself."

Steadying her resolve, Iaurtondariel swung open the door as quietly as she good, glancing around with alert eyes down the hall. Still, not a single person roamed the corridor but she ignored it, closing the door behind her. Her senses immediately went into overdrive, ready to pick out even the slightest abnormality in the palace. As she crept down the hall, it occurred to her that she did not even know where she was going or why she left her room in the first place.

But subconsciously, she was very well aware of where she was going though she would never admit it. Her heart yearned for the protection of the one she was destined to love and no matter what she told herself, she knew she desired for just that.

Again, she felt the odd sensation creeping up her back and she looked over her shoulder with wide eyes, her fingers flexing on the hilt of her blade. Her steps quickened as she continued down the hall, the cold feeling drawing closer with each step she took.

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The hinges seemed to creak even louder in the tension that hung in the air as the two brothers entered the large room once again. Bright eyes pierced the darkness and, much to their alarm, found that Leneya had gone. Whether she had felt the same thing and had fled or from other reasons they cared not to think about, they did not know. Emerald eyes met cerulean eyes and they gave each other a quick nod before shutting the door behind them and proceeding cautiously through the room. Their fingers twitched at their sides, finding their swords absent.

They reentered the main hall and found it empty as well. The once lively and busy halls of the palace were now abandoned, filled only with coldness.

"What do you make of it?" Legolas asked his brother in a hushed voice. But Norui said nothing, only closing his eyes tightly.

He had felt this presence before and with it came memories that were not of the pleasant sort. Even though it was for a short time, he could remember the way it felt when his mind had been invaded and taken over, the helplessness he had felt. Emotions raged in his heart with only one being dominant: anger. The Crown Prince growled under his breath.

"The accursed creature who tried to kill me and all of our people is here. I can feel it; I can sense he is here." The ellon answered bitterly.

"Then there is nothing we can do." The golden haired prince replied, "The King has not yet lowered the powers as he told us he would. There is almost no way we can defeat him right now." Norui seemed to contemplate this before turning to his brother.

"Then I should like to seek out our sisters and our friends to be sure they are safe." He said and Legolas nodded before both elves hurried towards their chambers. And the whole time they ran, never once did they lower their guard.

It took only minutes for them to reach their destination and when they entered their rooms, they found them empty. The young prince furrowed his brow, "Odd." He said.

"Listen." The older ellon whispered and Legolas did so without question. Quickly, his elven ears were able to pick up on hushed voices coming from the Muruien princes' chamber. Hurrying towards it, he turned the knob and swung the door open. Immediately, all heads turned towards him and they all let out a relieved sigh. He smiled when his two sisters leapt from their spots.

"Legolas, you had us so worried!" Lothron exclaimed as she ran forward, drawing her brother in a tight embrace. The prince grinned.

"I am fine, sister." He replied.

"Where were you?" Melyanna questioned as she, too, wrapped her arms around him.

"He was with me."

Both ellyth seemed to freeze as those words were spoken by a very familiar voice. Turning away from their young brother, their wide eyes landed upon the tall form of the one that they thought they had lost. Legolas smiled to himself, carefully stepping out of the way. Though he could not see them, he knew his companions were watching with astonished eyes.

Norui smiled weakly as his sisters gazed upon him, taking in his entire form. And, much to his surprise, it was Melyanna who came forward first with tears already in her eyes. As she drew near, he closed the gap and placed his hands on her cheeks, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"Do not cry, my sister." He said, giving her a small smile. She returned it with her own.

"Oh, Norui…" She whispered as she flung her arms around his neck, never wanting to let go.

And so he had no choice but to relate his entire story once more to his companions. Some said no words, too shocked they were to form anything coherent, but the ellon was not troubled as tears of joy began to slide down his own cheeks. They bombarded him with kisses and hugs until he felt he could stand them no more. Ricamros quickly slipped off the bed and disappeared into the adjacent room.

All through this, Legolas stood to the side with his arms crossed, a smile on his lips. He gazed upon his companions and found peace in the sight. But something was missing, he noticed, as he recounted over and over. As he continued to watch, it became apparent what was missing. His eyes widened and it felt as if his heart had stopped.

"Jaimea…"

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"I'm afraid, Lady Elf." The young girl whimpered as she clung to the elleth's hand, her whole body trembling.

"Hush, little one." She whispered, drawing her close, "Everything is alright."

Jaimea began to regret not going straight to dinner that night as she was supposed to. After she had brought the girl- whose name she discovered to be Siri- from her chambers, the Muru had spotted the fireflies just beginning to shine in the oncoming darkness. After much persuasion, the elf had finally relented and brought her outside where she watched the girl dance and laugh in the plush grass. But as she watched, she began to feel the longing of, one day, becoming a mother herself.

When dark clouds began to form over the stars and thunder boomed in the distance, Jaimea had brought Siri back in but found the dining hall empty. And what is more is that she, just like every Muruien in the city, had sensed the looming presence of one with no good intentions in his heart.

They continued down the winding corridors, the elleth's eyes darting every which way. A maternal instinct seemed to kick in without her realizing it and she squeezed the girl's hand.

"Where are we going?" The young Muru asked in a trembling voice.

"Do you remember my, um, brother?" Jaimea questioned and the girl nodded, "We are going to find him. He is a strong warrior so he can keep us safe." Siri nodded again, wiping away a single tear from her cheek.

"I'm scared." She whispered again and, with a sigh, the elleth bent down to her level.

"Siri, I promise I will keep you safe. Trust me." The elf gave her a small smile, placing a kiss on her forehead. She rose to her full height quickly but froze when her ears picked up the hurried whispers of someone approaching.

Eyes wide, she pulled the girl close and watched, waiting with baited breath. Siri gripped onto her long gown, quaking at the sudden tension that emanated from the elf.

"Lady Elf?"

"Shh."

Jaimea's heart quickened when two dark haired people enter the corridor, arguing quietly to each other. In a feeble attempt to hide, the elf pressed her body firmly against the wall and watched. She studied the two for a long moment before realization hit her. She gasped.

_Turwaithiel!_

The noise caught their attention and the elleth felt her stomach flip in her body when they peered down the hallway with piercing eyes. She heard the woman say something to the male before continuing down the corridor, leaving him behind. He watched her go silently before turning down the hall, directly in line with the elf and the girl.

It felt as if her body had frozen in place, despite what her mind screamed at her. She watched in fear as he came closer and closer, yet she could not move. She could not recognize him yet it felt as if she had known him from somewhere before. It felt as if her heart had stopped when he suddenly halted, staring at her and the girl with wide eyes.

Tension was thick in the air and Jaimea could tell that he was battling a war of emotions within himself. It eased her somewhat but was not sure if this was necessarily a good thing. She chewed on her bottom lip tentatively when he glanced back down the hall, then took a step towards her.

"You were one of the travelers coming from Rivendell, were you not, my lady?" He questioned quietly. The elleth was shocked at the gentleness that was in his voice but still was wary of him.

"That depends on the reason for your asking." She retorted, instinctively moving Siri behind her body. The man frowned as he came closer.

"I mean you no harm." He said, "My name is Uhako, and I-"

"Uhako!" She gasped, drawing away from him, "Then I certainly cannot believe you when you say you mean me no harm! You travel with Turwaithiel!"

"I will not deny that I do but I promise you, it was no choice of my own to engage in such evil acts. I can help you, if you let me."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"I can keep Turwaithiel away from you." He said, "As well as Eruko, for a time." Jaimea's features quickly lit up with fear at the mention of said Muru.

"You are in league with him, too!" She whispered harshly.

"Yes, unfortunately." He sighed, running his hand down his face tiredly, "But you must understand. I was forced to do his bidding because of some idiotic bet with him. It was never my intention to hurt anyone."

Turwaithiel shouted down the corridor and Uhako winced slightly. The elleth watched him expectantly. He returned the call and, after a few moments of tense waiting, he turned back to the elf.

"Will you trust me or not?" He questioned hurriedly.

Jaimea glanced down from his eyes to the child clinging to her gown. Siri's bright eyes seemed to shine in the darkness as she gazed upon the man frightfully. The elf placed a hand on the top of her golden head, then nodded once.

"You have my trust," She answered, "Until you give me reason not to."

A wide grin came upon Uhako's lips and he nodded once though the elleth felt she could not return it. Anxiousness grew in her heart as he bowed low to her, then started in the opposite direction he came.

"Thank you, my lady. Now come, lead me to your chambers so I may see to your safety. Then I will do what I can to keep the others distracted." He said. Hesitantly, Jaimea pulled on the girl's hand and followed quickly after Uhako, wondering if she would ever regret her decision.

"What are we doing?" Siri asked softly as she struggled to keep up, "Who is he?" The elf did not respond, only shaking her head and keeping her worried eyes on the man. He seemed truthful enough but a part of her would never truly accept him.

Jaimea increased her pace to keep up beside him and led him through the winding corridors of the passage. She could hear the girl's quick breathing and knew she grew tired. But they grew close to safety and she did not want to stop, no matter what happened. All she wanted to do was be rid of Uhako.

"What have you got there, love?" A voice called behind them and both froze instantly, holding their breath. Uhako turned around quickly, forcing a smile onto his lips.

"What does it look like, Turwaithiel?" He said as the elleth turned to face the other woman, holding her breath. The lady grinned in response.

"How could I ever doubt you, Uhako?"

Jaimea cried out in shock when the man grabbed her wrist roughly and twisted her arm behind her back, pulling her against his chest. Siri was tossed to the floor none too gently, dark bruises already forming on her small body from the impact.

"Let me go!" The elleth shouted, struggling in his grasp as he brought her towards the other Muru.

"And why would I do that?" He questioned casually.

"You promised!"

He smiled devilishly, "I lied."

Turwaithiel smiled in satisfaction as she watched the distressed elf fight in Uhako's arms. At least, Eruko would not be completely disappointed now. They had accomplished something; and so easily, as well! She snickered under her breath as she turned around back down the hallway.

But before she knew what was happening, she found her feet suddenly kicked out from beneath her and she fell to the ground, grimacing when her spine cracked against the hard floor. Her eyes quickly shot open when she heard the Muru's next words.

"Run, my lady!" Uhako cried as he released the elf. She stood in shock in confusion as he jumped back from the woman on the floor, drawing a short blade and tossing it to her. Blindly, she reached for the knife and caught the sharp end in her palm. She hissed between her teeth but shook it off, running towards the girl on the floor and pulling her up. She glanced back to Uhako.

"Run!" He shouted again and she obeyed without question. The sliding of metal against sheath met her ears.

With a growl, Turwaithiel leapt to her feet. Her eyes shimmered with anger and malice as she gazed at him, her hand quickly reaching for the sword at her belt. She drew it from its sheath and positioned it in front of her in an offensive position. Uhako narrowed his eyes as he, too, positioned his sword.

"So this is where your true loyalties lie." She spat, staring at him with disgust, "I should have known."

"Turwaithiel, please, I have no desire to fight you." He retorted gently.

"We are here to fulfill our master's wishes, Uhako! He will kill us both if we do not!"

"Then let it be so! I would rather die a thousand times over than serve one more day under that creature's word!"

With an enraged cry, the lady sprang forward and crashed her sword against his. Uhako gritted his teeth against the pain that shot through his arms but he shoved her back roughly, resuming a defensive pose. Again, she came forward and he blocked her attack, dodging out of the way. Her strikes were relentless and were filled with rage and betrayal.

"Listen to reason, Turwaithiel!" He cried desperately, "This is not what you want!"

"Shut up and fight me! Stop cowering and fight!"

"Stop this madness!"

"_Fight now_!"

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Iaurtondariel took a shaky breath as she stopped in the middle of the hall, glancing back and forth between three different paths. All seemed dark and uninviting and she swallowed hard.

"Great." She muttered to herself while fingering the hilt of her blade, "Now where do I go?"

The cold sensation continued to grow on her and it felt as if her heart was freezing over. In an attempt to get away from this, she quickly turned down the corridor, hoping it would take her to the one she sought. She stayed close to the wall, her feet making not a sound on the marble floor.

As she rounded the corner, a dark figure came into view and she halted, pressing herself up against the wall. The slight noise caught the being's attention and it turned sharply, its eyes glancing every which way. Iaurtondariel held her breath, her face paling. She heard it hiss in its throat before it turned away and disappeared down the hall. After a few tense moments, she relaxed and went back the way she came.

"Well, that is not the right way." She muttered breathily, her body shaking from her fear. Soon, she emerged back where she was before.

Only to be shoved roughly onto her back with a cry, her blade being sent sliding across the floor. The same tall figure towered over her, almost blending in with the shadows, and she nearly screamed out from the malice and hate that spewed forth from its presence. It closed in on her as she crawled backwards, reaching blindly for her sword.

Her fingers only grazed the hilt before she was dragged back and flung across the floor by her ankle. Her head collided with the wall and her vision swam, unable to make sense of anything. A wetness formed on the back of her skull and she touched it, rubbing it in her fingers- blood.

She sensed the figure coming towards her again and she struggled to get up. She came to her knees but was sent back down with a sharp slap to her face. Groaning, she spat out the crimson liquid that now came from her mouth and she instinctively curled into a ball. Tears began to mingle with the blood.

The person's footsteps thudded in her ears and she heard a sword being drawn from its sheath. Closing her eyes tightly, she began to wonder who this person even was and why they would try to kill her. Was there even a purpose behind it, or was it just senseless killing?

But the darkness of death that she expected to come never did. Peace never came to her senses and the pain soared throughout her body. She wondered at the sudden change in plans of this person and she forced herself to look up at him.

Amidst the darkness of the hall and of the being, she saw a radiant silver light shining brightly. It stood behind the dark one with its arms held high, holding back the blow that was meant for her. She willed her fading eyes to focus on the new person and, despite the pain that coursed throughout her body, her breath hitched in her throat.

"Ricamros…"

The young Muru prince had nothing but fury and rage in his heart when he came upon the creature looming above the lady, poised and ready to strike her down. He thought not for his own safety as he rushed for it, stopping the blow before it even had the chance. Viciously, he kneed the person in the back and tossed him aside, then grabbed his own sword from his waist.

"Stand!" He called, "Stand and face me, Eruko!"

He heard him growl under his breath and, before he knew it, Eruko had flung himself upon the prince and slammed him against the wall. Ricamros gritted his teeth when his head crashed against it but he shook it off, quickly tossing him aside and returning the attack.

The blades were like blurs as they sliced through the air, and the sound of metal clanging against metal vibrated in the hall. The prince swung wildly yet with skill while Eruko, unable to throw in a blow, was slowly being backed away from the woman on the ground. He ground his teeth together in agitation before giving a mighty shove, throwing Ricamros away from him. Immediately, a red shield formed around him and he grinned back at the disheveled Muru.

"What now, prince?" He jeered, "You cannot strike me!"

Ricamros swallowed hard, wiping away a streak of blood that trailed down his cheek with his sleeve. _Father still has not lowered the powers_, he thought, _I cannot beat him if he can just cast his barrier_.

"Give up already?" Eruko laughed, "How about we just make this easy and you let me finish what I started all those years ago!"

The cloaked Muru's laughter instilled hate into the prince's heart and he yelled in anger, lashing out wildly with his sword at the protective shield. A deafening sound pulsated at the impact, causing him to shout in pain, but he did not stop with his attacks. Again and again, he struck furiously at the creature until his ears rang.

Suddenly, the shield faltered and dissolved, leaving a shocked Eruko where it once stood. Hope returned to the silver haired Muru and he increased his attacks, putting in more strength and force than he ever thought he could. The other Muru quickly blocked the blows but found himself quickly driven down. He shouted in agitation before dealing one last blow, slicing across the prince's leg and sending him to the ground. Seizing his chance, he drew up his sword and held it above the young Muru, ready to strike him down.

A force against his chest sent him sprawling to the ground. He glanced up quickly to see the lady above him, her sword held high with a deadly gleam in her eye. His eyes widened in fear as it quickly came towards his chest.

But the elleth was forced back when his barrier returned suddenly, sending her flying in the opposite direction. The shield was weak, he could sense, and he had come close to losing already. Growling in agitation, he leapt to his feet and disappeared with a flash.

All was still and silent in the hall for a long moment, except for the ragged breathing of both Muru and elf. Both bodies were battered and they felt as if all the strength in their muscles had gone. Blood had started to flow from the prince's leg and the lady's eyes had not yet completely focused.

Ricamros was the first to stir, slowly raising his head from the floor. His tired eyes gazed around for the elleth's body and, upon sight, he crawled as quickly as he could towards her.

"Iaur…" He rasped out in heavy breaths, "Iaurtondariel…" He forced himself to his knees and he leaned down over her. Her chest rose slowly yet her eyes were closed, a pain-filled expression upon her face. The Muru bit his bottom lip as he reached out to rest a hand on her cheek, "Are you alright?"

The elleth moaned softly as she fought to open her eyes. His breath was stolen away when her emerald eyes met his navy ones and he knew then that it was destined for them to always be together. With a shaky breath, he gave her a small smile, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"Ricamros…?" She whispered, her fingers reaching out for him. He quickly took her hand in his and placed her knuckles to his lips.

"I am here." He said softly, "You are safe now." Sensing the slight tremble in his voice, she furrowed her brow.

"You are hurt." She said and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"It is but a flesh wound." He replied. He grimaced when his leg gave out from underneath of him and he fell to his side with a hiss. Iaurtondariel looked over him with worried eyes.

"You need help." She told him, tightening her grip on his hand and he shook his head.

"No, I am alright." He assured her, "But you need to rest." At these words, the elleth allowed her eyes to close and Ricamros sighed tiredly, letting his head hang. He bent to place a kiss on her forehead but was stopped when the lady took her hand from his and placed it on his cheek, smiling weakly up at him.

"Thank you, Ricamros, for saving me." She whispered and slowly brought his lips down to hers, meeting in a sweet and tender kiss. It lasted but seconds only though both felt a wave of something they had never experienced before wash through their bodies. Iaurtondariel sighed tiredly, breaking the kiss after a moment, her head moving to the side and her eyes shutting once more in sleep.

It took a few moments for the prince to fully register what had just occurred and when it did, a warm smile came across his lips. Struggling against the pain that shot through his entire body, he pulled himself to a sitting position and rested her head on his uninjured leg. His fingers trailed through her dark hair and he sighed in contentment.

"You are welcome, my Iaurtondariel."

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The shouts of the two Muruien and the clashing of their blades still rung in the halls as she ran desperately towards safety, the little girl hurrying behind her. Her brown eyes glanced every which way with ears alert. Only occasionally would she look behind her to make sure Siri still was there.

"Hurry!" She called, turning around the corner.

Suddenly, she collided with a hard form and she stumbled back, nearly falling on the child behind her. Jaimea looked up at the person quickly with wide eyes and relief washed over her. Tarmikos stood before her, gazing at her with slight amusement in his eyes.

"Thank the Valar…" The elleth whispered to herself, a smile lighting up her face. She grabbed a hold of his arm and began tugging him down the corridor she just came from, "You must help, my lord! A friend of mine needs aide in his battle." The Muru prince opened his mouth to speak but was beaten to it by a new voice.

"Jaimea!" Legolas called desperately, his cerulean eyes piercing the darkness. When he caught sight upon her, his eyes widened and he rushed forward, taking her head between his hands and planting a kiss on her forehead, "Where have you been!" He cried, "You had me worried!" He made to claim her mouth but she held him back, turning her head away.

"Not now, Legolas!" She said, "Turwaithiel and Uhako have returned but he now fights for our side!" The elf stared at her in bewilderment.

"The same one who we traveled with?" He questioned and she nodded hurriedly. The prince paused for a moment, contemplating his next course of action. He glanced from his lover's pleading eyes to the determined ones of the Muru prince, "Are you sure he sides with us?"

"Absolutely." She answered without falter. He nodded.

"Right. Tarmikos, you-" He turned to the other male but found him gone, already sprinting down the hall towards the sounds of the fight with his sword drawn. He let his eyes linger on the fleeting prince a moment longer before turning back to Jaimea, "We will return to our chambers and gather the others. And I want you to stay there." He said this last part with a slight warning in his tone. The elleth smiled and nodded in response, "Now go!"

Siri gasped out loud when she found herself being scooped up in the strong arms of the ellon and carried quickly away down the hall, her body bobbing with every step he took. The sound of three swords battling echoed down the halls of the palace.

**XXXXX**

**Well, there you have it. Things are now in motion and hopefully, we will see the final battle next chapter. But that does not mean that we are close to the end. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**After research, I have found that there is very little difference between the usage of 'snuck' and 'sneaked'. Really, it is a matter of personal preference, similar to the usage of 'theatre' and 'theater'. I tend to spell that word 'theatre' but that does not make it wrong, nor right. Famous authors- such as George Stade, Anne Tyler, and Garrison Keillor- have also used 'snuck' in their own writings, including in their narratives. Yes, I have been informed of the lack of clarity in some areas and I intend to revise later on, thanks. And yes again, I know they have different colored eyes in reality. But this will be explained in future chapters.**

**There is a reason the wargs did not kill him and it will also be explained in future chapters. And I know, many of the characters could go but it is sort of too late for that, is it not? Thanks for the compliments. **

**And those were not replies to reviews. whistles **

**Anyway, thanks to all who read and reviewed the previous chapter. I hope this one managed to reach your expectations. And many thanks to my beta, Ty. :) Everyone wish her a Happy Birthday! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	45. Our Fate

**Four days left of school and I am free. Thank the Valar! Maybe that will mean quicker updates. **

**Heh. Right. (Yup, just as I said. I'm now out of school. And you see that first paragraph there? That's all I got done in four days. Go me.) **

**And yes, this chapter is shorter than others. You'll see why.**

**XX**

Chapter 45- Our Fate

"Can you be positive of this?" Norui questioned as he gripped the bewildered elleth's shoulders, shaking her slightly. Jaimea and Legolas, along with the Muru child, had just returned to the large room only to be bombarded with questions from the others. The elleth had not yet recovered from her shock of seeing the Crown Prince, even after much persuasion that she still lived and that she wasn't in a dream.

"Jaimea!" He called again, snapping her out of her daze-like state. She blinked rapidly and nodded.

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, my lord." She replied quickly though her voice quivered.

"Then we must prepare!" The dark haired ellon exclaimed as he faced his companions, pulling forth the confidence that was stored inside him, "Gather your weapons, and we shall finish what we came here for."

The Crown Prince watched on in satisfaction and relief as his comrades jumped to their task without a question. Still, he feared rejection from them- he could not help it. It was inevitable to feel that way. But when he saw his two sisters, Arwen, and Jaimea watching from the side, he furrowed his brow questioningly. Were they not to fight?

"Lothron," He called, "Why aren't you getting your sword?" She turned to him with a small smile.

"King Judeqir does not wish us to fight. I am not sure why- perhaps it is not normal for women of their country to take up arms." She answered and his frown deepened.

"But we are fighting for our Ada and for out people." He said and the elleth shrugged at this.

"We are guests here and we must abide his rules." She came towards him, still smiling, and placed a sisterly kiss on his cheek, "Be careful, alright? We have lost you once- we do not need to go through it again."

He smiled and placed his hand on her cheek, "Do not worry, Gwathel. I will be fine."

Melyanna then came forward, placing a kiss on his cheek and showering him with the same comments her sister had just said and Norui reassured her, smiling all the while. He watched his friends speak in hushed voices among each other, wishing each other safety though he doubted that there would be much difficulty. He could not explain it, but he had a strong feeling that they would prevail in the end. He only wished that, as he watched his sisters kiss their lovers goodbye; that his own lady were there with him.

He opened his mouth to call his friends' attentions once again but stopped short when he spotted his young brother in the corner, his arms wrapped protectively around the maiden he had grown to love. Surprised, he was, to find that they still had affection for one another after he, himself, had strictly forbidden them to begin courting.

Legolas suddenly turned his attention towards him and the Crown Prince saw him hesitate for a moment, tightening his hold on the elleth. His cerulean eyes dared him to question him but Norui only smiled warmly at them both, and turned his attention away.

"Are we all ready?" He questioned and they all nodded. Without another word, the males broke from their ladies' arms, their blades gripped tightly in their hands, and they filed silently out the door. When the door closed with a click, those left inside were enveloped in near complete darkness.

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Uhako cried out as he was once more slammed against the wall. It seemed that as he fought, the lady did not lose strength as he did, but only gained it. Her face was fierce as she attacked him again and again and he had to wonder where the sudden power came from, it was even sudden at all. Her footsteps thundered in his ears as she approached him, and he groaned.

"What, Uhako, are you tired already?" She growled, "I thought you would be stronger than this but perhaps I was wrong." She raised her sword to cast him down but she was suddenly slashed from the side.

Instinctively, she brought her hands to her bleeding wound, dropping her sword to the ground. Her dark eyes glanced up to find her attacker and saw the tall, silver haired prince standing before her, posed in a defensive position.

"Ah, the mute one!" She laughed, quickly shaking off the pain at her side, "The mute one has come to rescue you!"

"Mute, I was," Tarmikos said, narrowing his eyes, "But no longer."

Turwaithiel's eyes widened in surprise, so much so that her anger nearly left her. The prince couldn't keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards into a smirk. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Uhako had begun to come to his feet once again. The lady must have noticed this, too, for she suddenly spun to face him with a scowl.

"I see how it is." She sneered, "Gang up on the lady, right? How gentlemanly of you."

Both males watched on with dread as the golden light overtook her body and once it cleared, a large, black creature stood in her place. Long fangs were bared at the two of them and its black coat blended her in with the shadows almost perfectly. Yellows eyes gleamed dangerously at them, its thick tail twitching back and forth. Tarmikos's eyes widened.

"Oqueri…"

A ferocious growl ripped from her throat as she lunged forward, claws extended. With a gasp, Uhako quickly rolled to the side, just avoiding being slashed through. He came to stand beside Tarmikos, his sword held tightly in his grip, and he swallowed hard. Next to the prince, he felt so weak and terrified while the other Muru radiated only confidence and strength.

Both saw the creature's muscles tense in her body and they backed away, waiting for the inevitable pounce. When it came, the dark haired Muru dodged it to the side but Tarmikos raised his blade, catching the beast and bringing it to a halt. Gritting his teeth, he put forth all his energy to shove her off of him, sending her flying down the hall only to see her leap back up and come charging back at him.

"A little help would be nice, Uhako!" He shouted as he beat back the creature once again, "I save your hide, you save mine!"

The dark haired Muru stared dumbfounded for a moment, astounded that the prince was there to help him. He had doubted that the elleth he had saved would even seek help for him bu eemed he had been wrong. And the fact that the prince of the Muruien kingdom was the one to aide him baffled him even more.

"Uhako!" Tarmikos called again as he slashed at the animal, catching it just barely on the chest. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Uhako steadied himself and rushed forward to lend his help.

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The silent elves cringed with every step their human companion made. It seemed his movements were even louder in the empty hall, despite his best efforts to stay quiet. Their senses were in high gear as they scanned the dark corridor, just waiting for anything to jump out at them. Speech was cut to a minimum and words were only exchanged if it was of utmost importance.

Legolas walked ahead of them all, leading them as quickly as he could to where he knew the fight was taking place. As they drew closer, the sound of battle reached their ears and they fingered their weapons anxiously. The blood in their bodies pounded hard in their ears as their excitement escalated.

A sudden movement down another hall stopped them in their tracks, and the tension escalated. For a moment, their previous objective was forgotten until Elrohir straightened, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"Estel, you should go see what is down there." He said in a whisper and the man blanched.

"Why me?" He retorted, taking a step away from his foster brother. Elladan rolled his eyes in annoyance before shoving him forwards.

"Go on, I will follow you." He said just as quietly. Estel shot him a skeptical glance, "I promise." The elf said. Finally, the human grunted under his breath and gave him a nod. The dark haired elf smiled slightly before heading off down the other corridor, his brother following reluctantly behind.

The rest of the group watched with bated breath as they disappeared down the hall, blending in with the shadows. Their footsteps faded into nothing and they all released the breath they had been holding.

"Shall we continue?" Norui questioned and the other two nodded. The Crown Prince took a deep sigh, "Go on, Legolas." Immediately, the young elf continued down the hall and the sounds of battle drew near. A shout rang out in the air in a voice the two princes did not recognize but they said nothing. And then another sound caught their ears, a fierce and wild call that made a shiver shoot down their spines. What now, Legolas muttered to himself.

Suddenly, the small yet aggressive battle appeared in front of them and they took a moment to assess the situation. Pinned underneath the black creature was a dark haired Muru, trying desperately to keep the beast's jaws from his neck. He was bleeding at various parts of his body, his clothing torn into shreds. Slumped against the wall, clutching at his wounded chest with a grimace, was the silver haired prince.

"I thought we were fighting Turwaithiel!" Elrohir exclaimed with fright as he stared at the creature, his wide eyes never wavering. The sudden outburst caught the animal's attention and it looked up at the same group, baring its fangs with a deadly growl. It leaped towards them with its claws extended, its previous prey forgotten.

As if it were second nature, Norui thrust out his sword without thought. The weight of the creature fell upon him and he stumbled back, but the blade had stuck through the animal's shoulder and it let out a sickening shriek. It thrashed violently, struggling to break free, but Legolas leapt forward and slashed across its back. This only angered it more and it swatted at him, sweeping his legs out from underneath of him. His head cracked against the floor and his vision swam. He vaguely heard his brother give a mighty yell before the Crown Prince threw the creature from his body.

He was barely aware of Elrohir rushing past him to help his comrades, before he himself leapt up to join in the fight.

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The sounds of battle carried down the halls, dragging the concentration of both man and elf from the task at hand to their friends. Elladan tried his best to shut out the noises while subconsciously running his fingers over the engraving on the hilt of his sword. Estel kept glancing back behind himself, half expecting to see something sneaking up the hall. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his foster brother touched him on the shoulder, earning himself a questioning glance.

"What is it?" The man asked, clearing his throat.

"I don't think anything is down here." The elf replied quietly, "It might have been our imaginations. We should go back and help them." Estel nodded.

"Alright." He said, "Anything to keep my mind from straying into dark areas." At this, Elladan smirked and made to turn around, but two figures hunched over against the wall caught his eye and he stopped. The human noticed the half-elf's hesitation and froze, his eyes wide.

"What now?" He muttered. The elf remained silent for a moment before taking a sharp inhale of breath.

"Come." He said hurriedly before striding quickly down the hall, his gray eyes never straying from his target. Estel followed behind him, trying desperately to see what his brother did.

As they drew closer, he could discern the two people against the wall and his eyes widened in shock, "Ricamros? Lady Iaurtondariel?" He breathed before hurrying ahead of the elf and kneeling down beside them and placing a hand on the Muru's shoulder, "What has happened to you?"

Slowly, the prince pried his eyes open and managed to focus on the one in front of him, blinking rapidly. His lips parted slightly as if to speak but no words came out.

"Ricamros?" Elladan called and the silver haired Muru cast his attention on the elf, furrowing his brow slightly, "What happened?"

"She…she needs help." The prince said weakly, "Help her."

"But what about you?" The elf commented as his eyes wandered to the wound on the Muru's leg, "You are injured as well." Ricamros shook his head.

"No, I am fine. Help her first." With that, he sighed softly and let his eyes shut, his head lolling slightly to the side. Estel glanced up to his brother questioningly, but then immediately turned his attention to the wounded pair on the floor. He suddenly found that any previous anxieties he had for his friends were suddenly forgotten, his skills of a healer taking over.

"We should take them back to his chambers with the ladies. Perhaps Arwen would be able to help in healing them; she is has more skill in this than I." The man suggested as he began to carefully remove the elleth from the prince's hold, "Besides, we cannot do much for them here."

Elladan nodded and replied, "Yes, that is a good idea. Though I am more curious as to what happened to them, and why no one else was aware of it until now."

"Perhaps it was Eruko." Estel said as he brought Iaurtondariel to her feet. Quickly, he scooped her up in his arms with her arm slung over his shoulder. The elf brought Ricamros to his feet and let him lean against himself, supporting his weight.

"Considering all of the possibilities, that is the most likely. After all, who else in this city would want to harm their prince?" He replied as he hurried after his foster brother, "If that is the case, then there is only one question on my mind right now."

"And what is that?" Elladan gave him a sidelong glance.

"Where is he now?"

The human fell silent at this and let his gaze fall to the lady in his arms. What his brother had said made his blood run cold and the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He suddenly felt as if dark eyes were watching him from every corner, just waiting for his senses to slacken and then they would pounce. His grip on the elleth tightened unconsciously.

"I also wonder if the king has managed to lower the Muruien powers yet." Elladan commented, bringing the man from his thoughts with a jolt. Estel cleared his throat softly and nodded.

"That would be very helpful." He said, and then fell silent. A few moments later, a soft chuckle escaped the elf's lips and the human gave him a questioning look.

"I have to wonder if Ada has gone mad with worry yet." He mused, a small twinkle in his eye, "Or if he has murdered Lord Glorfindel and Lord Erestor in his anxiety." Estel allowed a small chuckle.

"Perhaps, though I am sure they would much rather prefer Ada's wrath than the taunting of Espenshade any day."

"Indeed!" The half-elf laughed, "I can only imagine the look on their faces when they find they have been pecked at and annoyed by a woman for all these years!"

"If we ever get out of here, that is." Estel said and the light atmosphere quickly diminished, frowns replaced the smiles on their lips.

"We will, Estel." Elladan stated, "We will win this."

The two brothers fell into silence once more and they cautiously made their way back to the prince's sleeping chamber, eyes and ears alert. Time seemed to pass by slowly as they meandered back down the halls. They let out a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at their destination. But as soon as they stepped in the door, they found themselves bombarded with frantic questions from their female companions.

"What happened?" Melyanna questioned, "What happened to Ricamros and Iaurtondariel?"

"Never mind that!" Lothron exclaimed, "What of Norui and Legolas? And Elrohir?"

The interrogation continued as they made their way to the two beds, placing the elleth on one and the Muru on the other. Elladan turned to his sister.

"I would like you and Lothron to help these two in any way you can." He said and they all hushed, "We are not sure what has happened to them, nor are we sure of the full extent of their injuries. We found them lying in the hall but could get nothing from them."

"They were not able to tell you who did this to them?" Arwen questioned as she went over to examine the silver haired prince, placing her hand gently on his warm forehead.

"No." Estel answered, "The lady was unconscious and he could barely form coherent sentences." The elleth seemed to accept this reason and she went silent, quickly assessing the state the prince was now in. Lothron quickly jumped into checking over Iaurtondariel, a small frown on her lips.

"Will you stay here?" Melyanna asked quietly as she came up beside the ellon, gazing up at him. He met her emerald eyes and smiled, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips.

"You know very well that I cannot sit here, knowing that my friends are having all the fun." He replied with a small grin, earning himself a chuckle.

"Aye, I do." She said, her smile slowly fading, "Though I cannot help but worry for you."

"What of your brothers? Surely, you worry for them."

"Of course I do. It is my job."

"And yet you allow yourself to be concerned for me in particular. Why?"

"Because I love you, more than anything else in all of Arda." She said this with a small smile and Elladan returned it with his own, leaning down slowly to claim her lips.

"Alright, brother, enough of that!" Estel exclaimed, grinning slightly, and the two elves pulled away from another, a faint pink tingle appearing on their cheeks, "If you try that again, Elladan, I will have no choice but to kiss your sister."

The ellon blanched at this, but then narrowed his eyes, "You keep away from her, mortal." Despite the seriousness of his voice, he could not keep the corners of his lips from twitching upwards. Arwen rolled her eyes at this display but continued on with her task. Elladan shot his brother a warning yet playful glance, then turned towards the door, "We should leave, Estel. Our friends will need us."

"Actually, I would prefer to stay here." The man answered, moving towards the dark haired elleth who tended the prince, "Our skills can be of use here as well."

"But they may need us!" The elf cried, tossing his hands in the air.

"I don't think you need worry." A voice piqued up from the other end of the room. Elladan and Estel glanced in the direction of the voice to find the small form of Jaimea with the young Muru child still hiding behind her, "Espenshade is on her way to help them."

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The air whistled past the golden falcon as she soared through the air, her small body perfectly streamlined. Her bright eyes pierced the darkness as she expertly navigating the winding halls of the palace. She increased her speed when the sounds of a fight drew closer and she could think of nothing else, except to aide her companions.

When she finally came upon them, she did not even bother to land. Instead, the golden light engulfed her as she flew towards them and by the time she had landed, she was falcon no more. The others, including the black beast, had frozen in the places at the sight of her. Two long sheaths decorated with rich gems of sapphire and emerald crisscrossed on her back, concealing matching golden scimitars. She had exchanged her dark gown for the weather-beaten tunic and leggings, and her golden hair now ran in a plait down her back.

Upon seeing the animal, Espenshade swallowed hard but held her resolve; the creature was larger than any normal Oqueri would have been naturally. Its claws were longer and sharper, and its fangs were more deadly. A single blow to the back from its massive paw would shatter even the back of the strongest man alive.

But the Muru shook this off as she drew her blades out in front of her, quickly dropping into a defensive position. She could feel the gazes of her companions on her back but she did not turn to face them, only narrowing her eyes at the Oqueri and saying to the others, "Well, are you going to fight or not?"

At those words, they leapt into battle with the single creature, their weapons held high above their head. At the arrival of the female, they seemed to find their strength renewed and they fought twice as hard, quickly pushing the beast into a corner. As any animal would, it lashed out at them wildly in its frenzy, baring its teeth and growling angrily.

It was Uhako who came forward with his sword raised up high above his head, ready to cast the Oqueri down. He could feel the eyes of the others upon his back, waiting for the final blow, but as he stared into its eyes, he found himself hesitating. This was his love that he was about to kill, he realized, even if she seemed ready to kill him, too. If not for the five waiting behind him, he would have walked away but now they were only expecting it of him. Something that he could not do.

Shutting his eyes tight and lowering his head, he brought his blade back down to his side and allowed the tension to leave his body. He immediately heard the others gasp at his action and take a few steps toward him.

"Uhako, what are you doing!" Norui growled, "You are supposed to-"

With a great roar, the beast leapt forward and knocked the Muru from his feet, effectively pinning him underneath. His head crashed against the floor and he found his vision swirling before him. The vibrations of the others' footsteps pounded in his ears yet he could not make sense of it. Before he knew it, the weight of the animal left him and the shouts of his 'companions' reached his ears.

Uhako was not aware of how long he lay there, listening to the sounds of the fight as they continued to drag on. He was about to gather the strength to sit up but another presence soon washed over his being, and his insides ran cold. He knew this feeling well but it brought him no comfort. Only fear.

He opened his bleary eyes and saw that everyone else seemed to notice this as well, for they stood rigid and glanced around warily. Suddenly, he felt the one who knew so well manifest behind him and his whole body froze with apprehension. His reaction was shared throughout everyone else, including the animal, but he also sensed something else from two of the three elves: hatred. Pure hatred radiated from their lithe bodies as they gazed upon the new being. Uhako briefly wondered the cause of this before he found himself lifted to his feet, and his head spun from the sudden movement. He grimaced- his master had come.

The companions said nothing as they gazed upon the cloaked being, and they were unnerved. Tall, he was, and dark; so much so that they could not even see his face from where they stood. From him radiated only ill intent and malice. But what frightened and confused them all the most was that even though they could not see his face, they could sense the smirk upon his lips.

After a few long moments, he took a small step forward and bowed his head slightly, saying, "Finally, we meet. Long have I been awaiting you." No one replied to him, as though they feared that if they spoke, he would cast a spell upon them, "So, will now one greet me?" Still no one answered.

Shaking his head, Eruko crossed his arms and continued, "You have traveled so long and far, yet now you will not speak to the one that you have searched for. Where is the decency is that?"

"We are not here to exchange meaningless words with you." Norui growled, "But to permanently remove your head from your shoulders."

"You think your words frighten me?" Eruko laughed, "You in particular should know very well that I can simply snap my fingers," He did just that, and a dark red barrier appeared around his body, "And my shield goes up, preventing you from getting anywhere near me." The elf seemed to falter at this but attempted to hide it behind a scowl.

But what the Muru didn't mention was that he was having extreme difficulties keeping the protective shield up, let alone even creating it. After his encounter with the prince and the woman, he had been busy trying to figure out exactly why his power was waning. But when he had sensed his servants were having difficulties- yet again, he added- he gave up his experimenting and hurried to their aide. But he knew that he would do little good, for he knew that he would not be able to withstand one blow to the shield without losing his grasp on it. He chewed on his bottom lip tentatively and he knew that they could probably sense his apprehension, even if they did not know the reason for it. But he shrugged it off- he would have to bluff.

The shield subsided quickly and he took a step back, mostly from the strength that he had now lost. Shaking it off again, he managed a smile.

"So, what shall you do, o High Prince of the Wood Elves? With no trees around for you to scamper up into for protection, you must feel out of your element." Both Legolas and Norui found that their anger escalated even further at this comment. The cloaked Muru held himself higher, his confidence boosted.

"You ignore us." Elrohir said, tightening his grip on his blade, "Why?"

"Because I take particular interest in this elf. It is said once in the grips of a Muru, escape is impossible. Yet he has defied this, and I am curious to find out how." He replied casually, "Plus, I know that I can hurt him greater than I can hurt any of you."

The Crown Prince felt a shiver shoot up his spine at the Muru's words, and he felt his stomach flip in his body. He had a strange feeling that Eruko meant 'hurt' in a different way entirely. He was almost reluctant to ask what he meant but found his curiosity got the better of him and he questioned bitterly, "What do you mean?" The Muru crossed his arms.

"Let us just say that I greatly enjoyed tormenting a certain lady until she collapsed from her agony, a lady that you know well. Very, very well." He shrugged, "Though she did last much longer than I expected her to, I admit."

The ellon's body ran cold as his worse fears came to life. Every sound around him became a blur and his mouth went dry. All of his muscles seemed to melt beneath him and he barely caught himself before falling to the floor. She could not be dead, he whispered to himself, it was not possible…she was meant to live forever! He would die without her! He _needed_ her!

"I do not believe you." He said, his voice hardly above a whisper though more chilling than anyone had ever heard before, "You lie. She still lives."

"Believe what you like but no matter how much you run from it, you must except it in the end." He retorted without missing a beat, as if he knew this would be his response. A twisted grin came upon his lips at the defeated look on the Crown Prince's face- his bluff was working.

"Well, enough of this." He turned to Uhako who stood by his side, frozen, "Uhako, Turwaithiel, take care of them for me. I do not have time to waste my strength on them." He made to leave but stopped in his tracks at the sound of a new voice.

"You have not the time, or simply you do not the strength to take on all of us at one?" The silver haired prince called, his navy eyes turned cold and hard as steel. Legolas gaped at the Muru, shock evident in his features, while Espenshade only gazed upon him with a small smile on her lips. Once again, Eruko turned to them and they could sense the amused look on his face.

"I see you have taken advantage of your newfound skill, Prince Tarmikos." He grinned, "Though I cannot say that you are using it to your benefit." He thrust his hand forward, his fingers curled into an unnatural position, and the Muru gasped in pain. The burning feeling in his throat had returned and he dropped his blade, grasping at his neck. But as quickly as it had come, it dissipated and the pain left him. Eruko snickered, "Choose your words wisely, prince, for I can take away your words as easily as I gave them back to you. Now, Uhako, do as I say!"

Uhako glanced upon his master, biting his lips nervously. His head still spun slightly but his senses had returned to him. But as the cloaked Muru brushed past him, he suddenly remembered that he was the one he hated above all else, the one who had placed him in this position. He gritted his teeth together.

"No." He declared, his eyes narrowing, "I will no longer bend to your will."

As he turned back to face him, Eruko took in a sharp breath of irritation, "Is that so? Well," The dark haired Muru did not have time to register his master raise his hand and smack him across the face with such a force that send him to his back, "Then you shall share the same fate as them. Turwaithiel!"

A fierce roar came forth from the forgotten Oqueri and she sprang forward, landing once more on the Muru. Even as the others rushed forward to help, he felt her claws digging deeply into his chest and nothing but betrayal washed over him. So far entangled, she was, in Eruko's lies that she could not longer see the difference between right and wrong. Her mind had been made up and that would never change. He could barely make out the footsteps of the retreating Muru above the growls of the animal.

The singing of a blade flying through the air seemed to pierce through the sound of the Oqueri, but was suddenly silenced with a thud. He heard his former master stop quickly, turning around to gaze upon them once again.

Quivering in the wall was a long scimitar with the Muru's black robes trapped beneath it. Eruko's eyes trailed along the blade and up to the hilt, before glaring in the direction of the female Muru. Without hesitation, he pulled the weapon from the wall and held it before him.

"There is a thin line between bravery and foolishness, my lady." He said, his voice grave, "And I believe that you have just crossed that line."

At ten times the speed it had been thrown, Eruko flung the sword back towards them with amazing force. Espenshade had not the time to dodge it before it lodged her shoulder and pierced out the other side. Her scream echoed throughout the hall, sending blood-curdling chills down the spines. Tarmikos said nothing, his voice stolen away, as he rushed to her side, dropping his sword to the ground.

And that was when Eruko made his move. The others did not even have time to register his sudden movements before finding themselves cast to the ground.

A new and terrifying strength seemed to possess the Muru as he quickly beat them down without even touching them. With a flick of his wrist, he was able to toss them away like rag dolls, exerting little effort. Elrohir reached blindly for his weapon but felt a weight land upon his back and he grimaced, his hands curling into tight fists. Claws suddenly dug into his shoulders and he cried out from the pain, his mind running recklessly with horrifying thoughts. This weight was quickly removed though and he saw the golden haired ellon not far away, wrestling with the black creature. Shaking off his fear, he leapt to his feet and swung at the beast, effectively cutting a long gash in its side. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Crown Prince coming shakily to his feet with his blade held limply in his hands before being cast down to the ground again.

Gritting his teeth, the Noldo elf plunged his sword deep into the side of the Oqueri and it screamed in pain, thrashing on the ground in its desperate attempt to remove the blade. Legolas quickly came to his feet, ignoring the pain he now felt all over his body.

"Finish it!" He shouted to Elrohir before rushing to aide his brother. Glaring down at the withering creature, he did not hesitate to do as his friend commanded.

"Farewell, my lady." He thrust his blade down into its chest and it jerked briefly before going still. He managed a triumphant smirk before glancing around.

Norui and Legolas were trying desperately to get near the cloaked Muru but had no luck. They would get within five feet of him before the dark red barrier would burst out from him, painfully sending them back to the ground. The Muru prince still stood guard over his wounded sister, completely oblivious to anything else around him. The dark haired ellon then noticed the Muru on the floor, motionless and bleeding profusely from his wounds. He swallowed hard, fearing the worst.

Quickly assessing each situation, he made up his mind and retrieved his blade from the ground. His gray eyes locked upon the battle at hand and he waited for the perfect moment to strike. His hardened muscles twitched before he sprang forward.

Eruko saw the Noldo charging towards him and he panicked. Without a thought, he roughly kicked away the two wood elves and forced up his shield, quickly draining any strength he might have had left. Elrohir crashed into the barrier and upon impact; it felt as if his skin were on fire. He was thrust backwards, skidding upon the ground, and painful tears sprung from the corners of his eyes. The burning feeling continued to spread up his body and he swiped frantically at his legs, arms, and torso but found no relief.

"Do not rub it!" He heard someone yell, though he could not discern the owner of the voice, "It will only make it worse!" Reluctantly, the Noldo placed his hands at his sides though he still trembled violently from the pain.

A momentary pause seemed to commence when both sides stopped in their fighting. Eruko breathed heavily, his legs shaking beneath him. But even still, he chuckled under his breath, "You put up no fight." He said, "My victory and your death is inevitable."

"You speak confidently for one who is weakening as well." Tarmikos growled, tightening his hold on the Muru in his arms, "Do not think you hide it, Eruko! Even as we speak, my father is placing his spell that will shed all Muruien of their powers. Very soon, you will be defenseless."

"Your father works too slow, prince! By the time he completes his 'spell', you will be dead and I will be long gone." Eruko hissed, quickly standing up to his full height in an attempt to show off his 'strength'.

"Your lies deceive no one!" The prince continued, "I can feel it in my own body. I can feel my powers being slowly drained from me. I know that you are no different."

The cloaked Muru fell silent, grinding his teeth together in agitation. He had forgotten about those details; being a Muru himself, the prince would feel the change as well. He mentally slapped himself but he refused to let this get in the way. A haughty smirk came upon his lips and he quickly thrust up his shield, just to prove that he was feeling nothing. Tarmikos said nothing more, only glared.

And so the fighting began once more. Elvish blades sung as they sliced the air but were continuously beat back. Even with three upon him, Eruko seemed impossible to defeat. No matter how hard they hit him, he quickly sidestepped the attack and returned it with his own more powerful assault.

The mahogany haired prince then took his turn, putting every force of energy he had into the blow, though he knew it would only be deflected. He prepared himself to be thrown back but instead, found himself falling forward with his blade outstretched. He could sense Eruko's panic when the barrier failed to appear and he narrowly missed being cloven in two. Instead, the edge of the blade had swiped down his side and they froze as his cloak slid from his body.

The weakening comrades were not sure if they were to be amazed by the sight before them, or terrified. Before them now stood a being that could not have been Muru, though so obviously was.

Thin legs, covered in brown fur, were shaped in the manner of a horse's and two black hooves took the place of feet. He was clad in a brown tunic that reached to where his knees were supposed to be but the skin that was visible was covered in black stripes. They ran in a pattern down his arms to the tips of his fingers, as well as along his neck and the sides of his face. Matching black stripes mingled with his light brown hair that came only to his shoulders. But what awed them all the most was a pair of magnificent golden-brown wings that stretched from fingertip to fingertip. The feathers shimmered in the faint moonlight and mingled together perfectly. Eruko's cold navy eyes narrowed as they gazed upon them. Quickly, the great wings folded together and disappeared behind his back. Looking at his front, one would never guess of the abnormality.

After a long moment, Tarmikos spoke, "So, that is the result of my father's punishment. A mutant." He scoffed, "Not nearly enough for the crime you committed."

"That blasted king of yours is lucky that I found a way to hide those bloody curses on my back!" The malformed Muru shouted in anger, his fists clenching, "If not for this new incantation, they and every other mutation on me would be hidden!"

"Ah, so you admit that you are being affected."

The Muru stared in shock at the smirking prince, and he felt his blood boil. How dare he trick him into revealing his weakness! Rage flowed throughout his body and he subconsciously extended his wings threateningly. The others took cautious steps back when they sensed his escalating anger.

"How dare you accuse me of being weak!" He screamed, "I feel nothing!" With a cry of outrage, he threw forth the last of his strength towards them. Their cries of agony echoed in the halls and it felt as if their skin was being torn from their bodies. Even the unconscious Espenshade seem affected as her cries mingled with the others. Windowpanes shattered from the magnitude of the blow and fell upon the two Muruien. The shards embedded themselves in their flesh and they gritted their teeth against the pain.

Bleary eyed, they watched him defenselessly as he prepared to deliver the final attack. Nothing made sense anymore as they saw their lives flash before their eyes. Their limbs shook beneath them and a shrill buzz rang in their ears. So this was how they were to die…

**XXXXX**

**:cackles to herself: Cliffy, or no? **

**Well, I was going to write more but as soon as I typed in that last sentence, I thought, "You know, that would be a nice place to end. Bwahaha." I was intending to write more but…I like this ending better. It would be fun to just end the story here but I have so much more I want to do. After all, it isn't often the bad guys win, bwahaha. **

**I'm trying something new, something like an incentive. Review, and you get a one -shot that I wrote and never will be posted on ever. Each one will feature one or more of my characters. I will have a new one for each update. This one features Legolas, Norui, and Espenshade. (pyvrebaal, you've read this already. eheh.)All you have to do is review…and give me your email if you are anonymous.**

**I've found my source for inspiration: Latin music. I will now buy millions of Latin CDs and listen to those while writing. Anywho, thanks for reading. :evil smile: **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	46. A Fallen Angel

**Can you believe it? I started this the same day I updated. I was just so anxious. ;) And also, revamping is underway. A brand new chapter one has been posted. And also, a bit of Call of the Red Bird reference in this one. I provided a little background information for those of you who haven't read it so…yes. Enjoy. **

**XX**

Chapter 46- A Fallen Angel

A great stirring erupted in the Muru's body, filling himself with ancient power just itching to burst forth. All was silent, yet a horrible throbbing pounded in their ears. A glow seemed to radiate from his body, illuminating the dark corridor, and those lying on the ground stared in awe and in fear as they waited for the feeling in their bodies to leave them. Some half wished that they would fall into unconsciousness but fought against it. They would accept their fate, not run from it so cowardly.

"You were foolish to believe you could defeat me!" Eruko bellowed, his voice booming and full of power, "I am invincible! You have failed your people and they will fall to my power." They could only gaze upon him as he spoke, their bodies limp. No one could find the strength to stand up against him again. His words fell on deaf ears yet he continued on.

And yet something made him stop and their eyes widened in shock, their jaws agape: the bloody tip of a sword had been thrust straight through his chest. No sound came from the dark haired Muru's lips and his eyes were transfixed upwards, though unseeing. A trickle of blood came from the corner of his mouth and down his chin. He made a final gasping breath, then fell face forward onto the ground. A quiver shot through his body and he fell still.

The small company stared in disbelief at the fallen Muru, their minds running rampant, and they looked sharply up at their savior. If it were possible, they fell into an even greater state of shock.

Struggling to support the weight of the great sword in her hands, the thin form of an golden haired elleth stood before them. Her dark eyes were wide and shimmered with fear and her body quaked from the adrenaline rush. Her face was pale as she gazed upon them, intimidation sweeping over her when their gazes did not waver from her. Silence reigned over them all, none able to find the correct words to use. The elleth swallowed hard, carefully lowering the sword to her side.

Finally, Legolas struggled to come to his feet yet never moved his eyes from those of the elleth. He wavered slightly but kept his balance, and he took careful steps towards her with his hand outstretched. When he came before her, he placed his hand lightly on her cheek, his eyes staring questioningly into her own. Tears brimmed in her eyes and he frowned. His lips opened as if he were to speak, but then rethought and closed his mouth. He sighed tiredly and offered her a warm smile.

"Are you alright, Jaimea?"

The sword slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor as she swung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. The ellon held her protectively in his arms, whispering soothing words to her and rubbing her back in circular patterns as she let her tears fall.

"I should be the one asking you that." She said softly into his ear as her fingers twisted in his golden locks.

"I am fine." He replied just as quietly, "So why do you cry? Right now, all I want is to see you smile and be proud for you did something that none of us could do."

"You could have been killed, Legolas!" She cried, "I was so frightened…I cared not for what happened to me, but only for you." He held her tighter, ignoring the eyes of his friends upon his back.

"You defeated Eruko, Jaimea, and you saved us all. And I am alive."

"Legolas," Norui broke in softly. The golden haired prince turned to him and saw the painful look in his eyes, "We need to find the others and tell them what has happened. Uhako needs help as well." Both ellyn glanced over to see Elrohir already crouched beside the ailing Muru, prodding his extensive wounds despite his own injuries that he had acquired. Shakily, the Crown Prince came to his feet and looked down upon Eruko. His face held no emotion, his eyes never wavering, and then he looked away, "Come."

As he walked down the dark hall, Norui felt as if his heart had frozen over and nothing mattered anymore. He struggled to keep the tears from spilling yet one still managed to slip out and trail down his cheek. He wiped it away roughly with his sleeve and bit his bottom lip hard, wincing at the pain but not letting go. He had never felt so cold, so lost, and so alone.

The young prince watched his brother move slowly down the corridor and he could feel the anguish that radiated off of his body. He could see his muscles were tense and he walked stiffly, as though trying to mask the sorrow that he felt. Not for Eruko, he knew, nor for the fact that he had been saved by an elleth, but for the Muru's words to him. If he had indeed killed Glithiel, then he knew the Crown Prince would soon follow her to the Halls of Mandos. He could not let that happen, Legolas mused, if the elleth his brother loved so dearly had faded, he was prepared to help him fight through it.

A hand fell upon his shoulder and he glanced back to find Tarmikos smiling at him. Espenshade stood beside her brother, looking to the marble floor with a grimace and holding her wound. She tried to direct a smile at him but found she could not, and she closed her eyes tiredly. Legolas placed his hand upon the silver haired prince's shoulder, returning the smile.

The Muru then turned his attention on the golden haired elleth and placed his hand on her cheek softly. He placed a chaste kiss on the other side and said, "Thank you, my lady, for lending us your aide." Both elves started at the sound of his voice, but quickly shook it off. Jaimea said nothing, but replied with a small smile.

They were then left to themselves, with the exception of Elrohir though he paid no attention to them. Legolas smiled lovingly at her, brushing away an errant strand of hair from her face, then kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'm going to help Elrohir." He said, "You may follow them, or wait for me." He seemed to stress the second option with his voice and she chuckled slightly, nodding.

"I will wait." A fleeting grin appeared on the ellon's lips, and then left her to kneel beside Elrohir. Both elves quickly dropped into hushed whispers, leaving Jaimea to herself.

The elleth's eyes traveled towards the Muru at her feet and she swallowed hard. She had been the one to end his life…her hands were now tainted with murder. At least, that was how she viewed it. Even if he had planned to kill her own friends and was responsible for many deaths in Mirkwood, he had emotions and feelings like any other. He had warmth to his body and was capable of loving another. And above all else, he had a heartbeat.

Wringing her fingers tentatively, she bent down and struggled to roll him onto his back, careful to not damage his golden wings that spread out beneath him. She glanced over at the ellyn and found they were still absorbed in their task. Biting her lip, she turned her attention back to Eruko.

His face was pale and the black markings contrasted against his skin. There was no expression there and yet he looked as though all of his cares and worries had vanished. His lips were set in a thin line and his forehead held no creases, a change from the constant glare that he had. Wisps of dark hair framed his face, accenting his features, and the elleth frowned. He looked…peaceful. Had it not been for the trickle of blood at his lips, one would think he was only sleeping.

Without thought, she let her fingers glide over his skin. It was soft to the touch and as her fingers touched the dark markings, she recoiled slightly while rubbing her fingertips together; it was not skin, but rather soft black fur. Furrowing her brow in curiosity, she touched them again, then turned her attention to the wings upon his back.

Despite what he had done, she found herself regretting her action. He could have been good, if given the chance. She knew not what had caused him to be the way he was but whatever the reason was, she knew it had to be something of great pain to him. She reached out to touch them next but a voice stopped her.

"Jaimea," Legolas called to her as he approached, crouching to her level. He let his cerulean eyes drift over the Muru momentarily before saying, "We must go." She did not say anything at first, only gazing upon Eruko intently and with sorrow.

"He is so beautiful." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear and he shot her a curious look.

"We must find Uhako aide." He said again, taking her hand.

"Look at this." She said softly, ignoring all that he said to her, and he pulled his fingers to brush against the markings along his face. He recoiled at the feeling just as she had originally done but found his interest piqued. He furrowed his brow in thought.

"We are all a part of one world and we can all share the same dream. And if we reach out to one another, we find that we are all the same deep inside." He frowned, "And yet the heart can become corrupted so easily. All of us can be turned down the path of evil yet not all do, for we have a reason that keeps us from doing so. I suppose his reason was not strong enough." A silence fell over them once again, and Legolas took the elleth's hand again.

"He is a fallen angel," Jaimea said after a moment, "One who has lost his way in life. But he now walks upon the path intended for him among the stars. He can live in peace."

The golden haired prince gazed into the elleth's eyes and a warm feeling spread through his body. He knew then that this was the one he wanted to spend his life with and, if it ever came to it, the one he wanted to mother his children. What sparked this sudden thought, he was not sure, but he knew it to be true. She gave him a questioning glance at the change of expression but he only smiled, shaking his head, and then stood up.

"It is time to go." He said and she came to her feet.

"What of Eruko?" She asked.

"I do not know what the Muruien will do with him." The prince replied.

"I wish him to have a proper funeral. He strayed from his true purpose with realizing it and so he is not at fault. A decision such as his cannot be made of one's own accord." He gaped at her request, his jaw hanging slightly, and he crossed his arms.

"Even so, he has threatened our people! My Ada could very well be dead right now! He is not deserving of an honorable burial."

"But he is not, Legolas!" She argued, "You would know if he had passed into the Halls of Waiting, for you would feel a cold and empty place in your heart."

"You know nothing of this matter." He scoffed and turned away from her, following after Elrohir who carried the limp body of Uhako in his arms.

"No! _You _are the one who knows nothing of what you say!" She cried. Legolas felt his heart leap into his throat- there were tears in her voice. Quickly, he turned back to her with a questioning gaze and she continued, "I know this because I have felt it! I was forced to watch my beloved gwador's body be consumed by the flames and yet I could do nothing about it. I know this because my heart has yet to heal from its wound, the empty hole that once was occupied by him!"

The golden haired prince frowned deeply and immediately wished he could take back his words. He found he could no longer gaze upon her and turned his attention to the floor.

"Forgive me, Jaimea. I did not know." He said softly and apologetically. He reached out to take her hand but she did not show any intentions of taking his. Frowning, Legolas curled his long fingers and let his hand drop to his side. He said nothing more, only turning away from her and continued down the hall.

The elleth wrapped her arms around herself, watching his fleeting back, and then glanced back down to the Muru lying on the floor. She gave a shuddering breath before looking back up to the two ellyn and following slowly after them. She shut her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, "May you find peace on the other side, my lord Eruko."

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

Morning was welcomed with open arms in the Muruien palace. Bright light had already begun to filter in through the thin curtains, illuminating the winding corridors. Those who still slept would be awoken by the cheerful sounds of the birds outside, flitting here and there as if they had no care in the world. Not that there were many still in bed, of course, for the morning meal was well underway. It seemed most Muruien though decided to eat in their private chambers instead of together as they normally did. As they meandered back to their quarters, their steps had less bounce to it and they moved slowly as if they were about to collapse from exhaustion.

At least, this is how is appeared to Estel and Elladan as they strolled together towards the dining hall. Everyone appeared so sluggish and not all there, and the human found himself hiding his grin every time one would pass them. On one occasion, they had come across a tall male slumped against the wall with his eyes shut, his breathing shallow. He seemed to feel their presence for he instantly jerked awake, his blue eyes wide, and he righted himself quickly. He gave them a curt nod in greeting while smoothing out his robes, then striding past them with more speed than was necessary. They watched him leave with small smiles on their faces and Elladan later commented that the Muru was the same one he had previously threatened with a fork.

Upon arrival to the large dining hall, they found it nearly empty except for a few Muruien here and there, slumped over their meal with their heads resting in their palms. Even King Judeqir was absent, as was Leneya. Not wanting to stand out to anyone who may enter, they decided to gather all the food that they may need and returned to their rooms. They had all slept in the princes' room that night, talking quietly to one another about their victory though little was said by those who were there to experience it. Arwen and the twins had done all they could to help Uhako but felt there was little to be done. Espenshade attempted to heal him but soon felt her knees go weak, and she could not continue. The spell of the king had taken its toll on her as well.

"Why do you suppose they are all unusually slow today?" Elladan wondered aloud, "Even Ricamros, Tarmikos, and Espenshade are out of sorts."

Estel shrugged and said, "Considering the fact that they were wounded, they have every right to be as they are now." The ellon shifted the two serving dishes in his hands awkwardly before replying.

"Tarmikos was not wounded, only a little winded from what had happened."

"Yes, but so were Legolas, Elrohir, Norui, and Jaimea yet they are not Muruien."

"That would be the after effects of my father's spell. During and after such an event, we are all very mellow and groggy." A voice broke in behind them and they glanced over their shoulders at the newcomer, and smiled.

"Good morning, my lady Espenshade. I am surprised to see you out and about. What, with your shoulder wound and all." The human greeted, bowing slightly so as not to spill the food he carried. The woman smiled in return, shrugged her shoulders carefully. She was clad in a simple pale blue gown with sleeves the belled out at the elbow. Her hair had been unbraided and washed and now fell gently down her back in soft waves.

"Not all of the Muruien have regained their powers, and some have not even completely lost it yet. Those are the eldest individuals who have a strong grasp on their gift and find it difficult to let go. Therefore, they will be incapacitated for a good few days and will not be out much."

"And you, my lady?" Elladan questioned as they continued their walk.

"I am…tired, to say the least. And my greatest desire is to sleep the day away, yet I cannot. I feel compelled to stay awake and be with my people, even if most are hidden in their chambers." Both man and ellon quirked their brows.

"That is most unlike you." Estel commented, "Lately, you've been very withdrawn from everyone, including Legolas." A cheeky yet tired smile came upon her lips.

"That was not me." She replied, "Though this is my true home, I find great sorrow and remorse being here." The human opened his mouth to respond but she beat him to it, "I will not tell you why, so do not ask me. Just accept my words when I say I have very few fond memories of this place." They simply nodded and let the matter drop. Estel sighed heavily.

"Why do your people not seem affected by Eruko's defeat? Do they not even know of it?" He questioned curiously. In Rivendell, he was accustomed to great celebrations over any exciting occasion- including something as simple as a begetting day or the successful dispatch of the ever increasing numbers of orc parties.

"They are very well aware of it, and you will have your feast in time." She shot him a small grin as if she knew his thoughts, "But it does not affect them directly. As far as they were concerned, he had been defeated long ago and was only waiting for the finishing strike. Despite what he may have said, he was no match for us in the end."

"What exactly happened last night? No one seems willing to speak of it." The Noldo commented and she frowned slightly.

"It is not my place to say. Your friends will tell you in time, if they choose it."

"But what about you?" He continued, "Are you not our friend?" Espenshade swallowed hard at his words and felt tears brimming at her eyes, but she brushed them away quickly. Instead, she gave him a grateful smile and nodded.

"Yes, my lord Elladan, you are both very much my friends." The elf's lips turned up into a warm smile and she placed a quick kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away, she found a slight flush on his cheeks and she laughed softly, "Blushing over a small peck, hmm, Elladan? Wait until I tell Melyanna about this." He paled slightly which, in turn, pronounced his red cheeks even more.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would." She teased him, winking. This time, his whole face went alight with embarrassment. Judging by the mad laughter coming from Estel, he was very much enjoying his foster brother's reactions.

"I like this Espenshade much better." The man beamed, "Will you be traveling back with us or will you stay here?"

"I will return to Mirkwood." She answered without hesitation, "I made a promise long ago to stay with Legolas and protect him, and that is exactly what I intend to do."

"Will you not miss your brothers?" The Muru opened her mouth to reply but quickly closed it, rethinking her answer, then spoke.

"Forever will I miss my brothers and long to be with them, but my place is not here." A mischievous smile appeared slowly, "Besides, I do not think that once you leave, it will be the last time you see them. I have found over the years that they tend to turn up when it is most unexpected."

"Yes, I am very familiar with that." Estel muttered and she laughed. Once her outburst had subsided, she continued.

"Even when still in Mirkwood, they would turn up though it was very rare. Of course, this only happened at night and I would always return before anyone noticed that I was gone."

"How horrible." Elladan jested, "Disappearing into the night without a word to your master. Distrustful, that is what I call it." This only sparked her laughter once more.

Upon returning to the princes' chambers, they found that the majority had finally awoken though were still slumped over in their makeshift sleeping areas. Only Jaimea and Norui continued to sleep, with the young Muru curled up beside the elleth. Even Ricamros was sitting up in his bed, though one could tell that he was barely aware of his surroundings. Much to their curiosity, he would frequently glance at the elleth in the other bed with worried eyes.

When the smell of warm food met their noses, those awake perked up and watched the visitors eagerly. Fresh bread and fruits were passed around until there was little left on the plate. Tarmikos had brought a small dish of food to his brother but he refused it, letting it set on the nightstand by his bed. They ate in comfortable silence, each mulling over their own thoughts and finding little to say that they felt was necessary. Sometime during this point, the younger of the silver haired twins managed to slide his way over to his sister and lay beside her on his stomach. She absently let her fingers trail through his long locks. Elladan stole a glance at this and smirked, their previous conversation coming to mind.

"My lady," He started, catching her attention, "I thought perhaps you should tell Legolas here about your little midnight adventures back in Mirkwood. I found it quite entertaining, and I see no reason why he should not know as well." Espenshade paused at his request, a piece of buttered bread half way to her mouth, and then glanced warily to Legolas who was watching her with curious eyes.

"Well," She began, casting an annoyed glare in the direction of the Noldo, "It is nothing that is of importance. It is simply that my brothers used to come to Mirkwood and we would be gone for quite a long time before anyone noticed." She looked to the golden haired elf once again and found a small grin upon his face. She heard Tarmikos snicker quietly.

"I remember that quite well." He mused, "I recall one occasion when we were almost found out by none other than your eldest brother, Legolas." The ellon's brows shot up.

"Nendir?"

Before Norui had become Crown Prince, there was one who stood before him. But the former Crown Prince had long since departed from Mirkwood due to a banishment of his own choosing. His wife soon followed him, allowing Lothron to claim the title of Crown Princess, and they had not been seen since.

"Yes, him." The Muru said, nodding, "But he nor you had met Espenshade yet and so it was of little concern to him when he saw us. Other than the fact that two falcons, a fox, and a shee- a _ram_," He corrected himself quickly, "were coexisting peacefully in front of the palace." The golden haired Muru had to stifle her giggles at his denial. In return, he smacked her playfully on the leg.

"I was never told this." The prince commented, his lips twitching with amusement, "If ever we meet again, I will have to ask him of this."

"You intend to seek him out?" Lothron broke in suddenly, taking her attention off the food in front of her. He seemed to contemplate this for a moment before shrugging.

"Perhaps one day, I will look for him. But I do not doubt that where ever he may be, he still blames himself for what happened all those years ago. It is unlikely he would return, afraid of what our people may say or think of him."

The elleth did not reply to this and so their conversation soon turned to other things, issues that did not matter to them though they spoke of them anyway. One thing that would not escape the minds of the elves was that the two Muruien who were awake seemed little affected by the previous night's activities. They acted as though nothing was out of the ordinary, and it was just a regular day. This baffled them to no end but they did not comment on it; perhaps it was wise to put it in the past rather than dwell on it as they seemed to be doing. They had achieved victory and now was their time to relax.

"I cannot help but wonder when father will hold the celebration." Tarmikos grinned, squirming anxiously on the floor like a child, "It will surely be of great magnitude and excitement."

Elrohir stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, "Is that really necessary? I have never been one for formal gatherings."

The prince furrowed his brow in confusion and frowned, "What do you mean?" The dark haired Peredhil sent him an equally confused look.

"You say a celebration, and I only assumed it would be a formal occasion." Elrohir grew uncomfortable under the stupefied stare of the Muru. How could he not know what a normal festival was? Espenshade placed a hand over her brother's and gave it a small squeeze.

"We clearly come from very different cultures." She laughed, then directed her attention at the silver haired prince beside her, "In their worlds, their festivities are sometimes very strict. The ellyth often dress in elaborate gowns and the ellyn will hearken to their every beck and call." She earned herself a few glares from those mentioned in the room and she grinned, "Their dances are slow and mostly uneventful. Wine is kept to a minimum and it lasts only a few hours."

With every word, the Muru prince's jaw seemed to drop further and further as if that sort of thing was unheard of. How could they live with that sort of 'celebration'? He stared questioningly at Elrohir, his mouth opening and closing.

"Yes, that is what we call a formal event. And what she said is mostly correct." The dark haired ellon muttered.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Tarmikos said innocently, "Why?"

For this, they found no answer. They glanced about at one another but no one could come up with the reasoning. It was just their custom and always had been.

The Muru then sat up with his legs crossed in front of him, then used his hands to support himself as he leaned back, "Well, that sounds awfully boring, if you ask me." He commented, "I think I prefer ours better."

"Oh?" Melyanna questioned and he nodded vigorously.

"At our celebrations," He started with an impish grin, "There is always much singing and laughter. Music is played all throughout the night and there is enough wine and food to feed the whole army. If you can believe it, fancy clothing is not encouraged because it would hinder all of the dancing that is done. None of this slow dancing, of course, but all fast paced and energetic. Most of it is focused on footwork and so it takes a long time for anyone to completely learn most of the steps. But even so, one can still join in and enjoy themselves. It is a joyous occasion for everyone and not many outsiders have the chance to experience it. If I were you, I would look forward to it and savor it."

Those in the room could not help but feel a twinge of envy. Why could they not have parties such as those? Suddenly, they could not wait until it was announced they would be celebrating.

"My brother," The golden haired Muru started, touching Tarmikos lightly on the shoulder, "Sing something for them so that they may have a taste of our music." Without even saying anything, they could all tell this idea excited him.

"That is a wonderful idea!" He then pursed his lips, tapping his chin thoughtfully before his face lit up again, "I know the perfect one."

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Long had he desired to sing once again, and to be filled with the joy of being able to create something beautiful with words only. He had been forced only to sing in his mind but now, he could share his music. A low hum sounded in his throat as he picked up his tune, and then his lips parted and a gentle sound reached their ears.

_Chi mi na sgoran fo cheo._

_Chi mi gun dail an t-aite 's an d'rugadh mi_

_Cuirear orm failt' 's a' chanain a thuigeas mi_

_Gheibh mi ann aoidh agus gradh 'n uair ruigeam_

_Nach reicinn air thunnaichean oir._

_Chi mi ann coilltean, chi mi ann doireachan_

_Chi mi ann maghan bana is toraiche_

_Chi mi na feidh air lar nan coireachan_

_Falaicht' an trusgan de cheo._

_Beanntaichean arda is aillidh leacainnean_

_Sluagh ann an comhnuidh is coire cleachdainnean_

_'S aotrom mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn_

_Is fanaidh mi tacan le deoin._

His voice was soft yet rich, and it filled the quiet room with melodious sound. The words were foreign to those who listened- excluding the Muru princess- and yet they felt as if they knew what he sang of. Each word rolled pleasantly off his tongue in a gentle yet upbeat air. Images of their homelands sprung up in their minds as they listened, and they wondered if it was only the song or if the prince was putting those pictures into their thoughts. They found themselves enraptured by the sound and when it suddenly ended, they felt as if the world had been pulled out from underneath of them and reality came crashing back.

A contented smile was upon Tarmikos's lips when they looked upon him, and he said, "That is but a taste of what you will hear. Of course, that particular song would be danced to in pairs unlike the normal three or four."

"What was it that you sang of?" Arwen asked softly, "When you sang, I could not help but think of my home in Imladris."

"Now, my lady, where would the mystery be if I told you what it was?" The Muru gave her a playful grin.

A stirring on the bed caught their attention and they looked over expectantly, waiting to see if they had finally awoken. Sure enough, a groggy Ricamros sat up slowly, rubbing his bleary eyes with the balls of his palms. They watched in amusement as he blinked tiredly, trying to focus on those in the room. His skin was still deathly pale and they could tell he was not near ready to be active. Placing a quick kiss on her brother's cheek, Espenshade stood and moved to sit beside the other Muru upon the bed. She touched his forehead with the back of her hand and frowned slightly, then slowly eased him back onto the bed.

"You still need to rest, Ricamros." She said softly but he struggled weakly against her, shaking his head.

"No, I'm fine." He insisted with a slur to his words, "Besides, I'm starving."

"That's not what you told me." Tarmikos muttered. The golden haired Muru glared at him, then took the small platter of food from the nightstand.

"I trust you can feed yourself." She said, quirking her brow. He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not an invalid."

"Alright, suit yourself." The Muru placed the platter upon his lap, then rejoined the others on the floor. Silence then reigned over the large expanse of the room and only the quiet sound of the prince chewing slowly filled the air. They glanced between one another as if the awakening of Ricamros had made them hesitant to speak, and this did not go unnoticed by the silver haired Muru. Frowning slightly, he swallowed a small piece of bread and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Just because I am awake does not mean that you have to be quiet." He scoffed, "I am not an infant."

"We did not say you were." Tarmikos replied, "Perhaps we do not have anything to say."

"Well, then that makes you boring and unexciting." He took another bite of the sweet bread, and then continued with a full mouth, "And I can hardly believe that. Tell them about your arts, Tarmikos!"

Suddenly, the younger prince found himself the center of attention and he sent his brother an irritated glare. Grunting under his breath, he responded, "They know plenty about me. I think it is time that they learned about you." Ricamros seemed to ponder this for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't see why not." He said. He fell silent for a moment, searching his mind for anything that might be of interest though he found very little. At least, nothing that would interest them, probably. Sighing, he thought up the first thing that came to mind, "I serve as second-in-command of the Banemera armies though I am more well-known for my stealth. Frequently, I am sent into enemy camps to act as a spy. I am told that this is because my dominant form is the fox, the master of cunning and trickery, and it rubs off on me." He shrugged, then grinned as well as he could, "And that is the story of my life."

His twin scoffed and his sister rolled her eyes. He shrugged and muttered, "Well, you asked."

"I think you need more sleep." Espenshade commented, "You still need to recover." He gasped in indignation.

"I do not! I am perfectly fine!"

"Then how many fingers am I holding up?" Three fingers came up, then was replaced with two others, and then four disappeared. The elves could not help but chuckle at the strained look upon the prince's face. He bit his lip tentatively, blinking rapidly.

"Um…one?" He tried pathetically.

"No, I held up a total of nine." She returned to his side and pushed him back onto the pillow, then replaced the tray of food on the nightstand, "Now sleep."

The Muru prince showed no resistance and happily slipped back into oblivion. Sighing tiredly, the princess glanced over her shoulder at the small group gazing upon her. She ran her long fingers through her golden locks, then focused her attention on her brother.

"I want you to show them around the city, and take them to the marketplace. They will need something to do while our people recover." She instructed and Tarmikos nodded, coming to his feet, "And also, make sure no one tries to cheat them out of their money, as you know they will." At this, the prince grinned and nodded again.

"Anything else?"

"Other then that I am going to get some much needed rest? No, there is nothing. You may go now."

"Alright. Farewell, sister." He bowed his head to her, then motioned with his hand for everyone to follow them. They left quickly yet quietly so as not to awake the still sleeping inhabitants of the room.

When the door clicked closed, Espenshade sighed heavily and let herself sink into her brother's bed. He stirred slightly but did not awake, for his body needed to regain its lost strength. Not because of his wounds, of course. They were minor and would be healed quickly. But he was one of those Muruien who would be in bed for a very long time, for his power was anything but minor.

Yawning, the Muru princess stroked the male's cheek with her knuckles, then strode to a long couch on the opposite side of the room. She laid down upon it, using her hands as her pillow, and let sleep claim her.

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There were considerably less people about this morning, everyone noticed. When they had arrived to the city, the market was alive with the hustle and bustle of the Muruien people and bubbling with energy. The chattering and shouting had cut through the peaceful sounds of the forests and everywhere, people were trading and buying.

But now, it appeared more as a deserted alley way. The only Muruien walking about were either very young or out only because it was necessary. Unfortunately for the shopkeepers, it would be an ordinary day for them and it was required that they still run the shops. So instead of the usual attentive and overly perky merchants shouting about their rare and valuable goods, they found tired Muruien slumped over in their shops, struggling to keep their eyes open. Really, it was an amusing sight.

Tarmikos placed his hands on his hips and glanced around at the shops, then looked over his shoulder at his followers, "This is it." He said, "Normally, it is much more exciting but most are still recovering. Feel free to brighten up someone's day and take a look at their merchandise. A few actually have something decent worth bartering for."

Looking around, they noticed that a few of the shopkeepers had actually perked up at the sound of their prince's voice. They stared in shock at him as he stood in the center of the street, glancing every which way as if to determine where he would strike first. Not one said a word, though, and they hurriedly glanced away from him as if they were suddenly frightened. Tarmikos paid no attention to this as he strode away from his companions towards a shop lavished with rich fabrics of silk and suede.

Without a word, the company parted ways to do their own bidding, some wandering alone while some went in pairs. The golden haired prince watched as Melyanna latched herself to Elladan's arm and they disappeared around the corner, and then Elrohir, Estel, and Arwen follow shortly after. Lothron stood beside him, watching as their friends left them, and she sighed heavily.

"What a night that was." She said softly, hooking her arm around her brother's, "I only wish we could know if Ada is alright."

"He is." The prince replied, tugging her down the center of the street, "We would know it if he wasn't."

"I suppose so." She whispered to herself, tightening her hold as her eyes scanned the gold jewelry on display, "Legolas, what _did_ happen last night? And what is wrong with Norui? He has not awoken since you both came back to the princes' chambers."

The ellon hesitated for a long moment. It did not seem right for him to be the one to tell her this, though he doubted his brother would ever be able to speak of it. But then again, they could not be sure it was even true; Legolas sure wasn't too keen on believing the Muru who tried to destroy his home and his people. Sensing his sister's awaiting eyes upon him, he stared out straight ahead of them, avoiding her gaze.

"There is very little to tell, other than that Eruko is dead and we need not worry about him anymore. He was slain by Jaimea from behind." Lothron did not react to this, though the prince could sense that she was shocked and surprised. That certainly was not expected of the normally meek elleth who had traveled with them.

"And of Norui?"

"Eruko told him that Glithiel was already dead."

"But surely that cannot be true! He would have known it by now."

"Exactly." He said quickly before the princess had a chance to rant, "But he has not realized this yet. When the news struck him, he did not bother to look for the bond that she and him shared, only assumed what he had been told was the truth." Lothron opened her mouth to speak but rethought it, then glanced down to her feet. She let her brother guide her for a long while before she spoke again.

"Do you think that is why he did not wake up? He is letting his grief rule him?"

"It is possible."

"He could fade from this world, Legolas, if we do not help him."

"We cannot do anything." The ellon retorted more bitterly than he intended, but ignored the hurt look on the elleth's face, "It is up to him to realize it."

"So you condemn him to a second death?"

This made the golden haired elf pause in his steps and a cold shiver went up his spine. She was right- that was exactly what he was doing to his brother. A dark feeling crept over him and he could not help but feel as if he had betrayed the ellon, and he bit his lip tentatively. The piercing gaze of his sister unnerved him and he shook his head, glancing back up to her cautiously.

"No, I will not." He answered softly, walking beside her once again, "But you know what I say is the truth. It will be up to him whether he accepts what we tell him or not."

Although reluctantly, the elleth nodded then quickly switched to a new topic, for she found speaking of her brother in such a way unsettling, "How is Jaimea? It is most surprising that she was able to kill him." Lothron furrowed her brow when the ellon's face darkened, and he looked to the ground.

"I do not know." He replied with a tinge of guilt in his voice, "I haven't spoken with her since last night." She quirked her brow when he did not meet her gaze, then sighed in exasperation.

"What did you say to her this time?"

He gaped at her, his jaw hanging in shock, "What makes you think I said something!"

"Because it is always you that causes trouble."

Lothron smirked in satisfaction at the flabbergasted look on the ellon's face. She could not help but chuckle at the childish display he put on, crossing his arms and sticking his bottom lip out in a pout. The elleth shook her eyes, rolling her eyes heavenward.

"Now, just make this easy and tell me." She said laughingly, "I want to help you."

For a moment, she thought that he was going to continue his silence but he suddenly groaned softly, and let his arms drop to his sides, Softly, he spoke, "I told her that Eruko did not deserve a proper burial because of what he did to our people, and that I feared Ada might be dead. I became angry with her, telling her that she knew nothing of the dark feeling death leaves you with." He paused to be sure that he still held his sister's attention, then continued, "But then she told me that her only brother had been killed, and that she felt the same thing that you and I had felt when Norui had died. She would not listen to me when I tried to apologize."

The princess seemed to ponder this for a moment, pursing her lips, then glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "Did you know of this before you said it?"

"No, of course not." He answered quickly, "I would never had said such a thing if I did."

"Then I believe that she will come around eventually. You are not at fault, if you had no idea."

"Lady problems, eh?" A low voice called from one of the shops, and they glanced over quickly. A golden haired male was hunched over the wooden counter, his chin supported in his hands, with a grin on his face. A single beaded braid hung down before his ear, and dark blue eyes shimmered tiredly. Just by looking at him, they could tell he was barely aware of his surroundings and they would have found it amusing, had it not been under the same circumstances. Legolas quirked his brow when the Muru sat up quickly, nearly stumbling over backwards.

"Perhaps." He answered cautiously.

"Legolas, we should go…" The elleth suggested, pushing lightly against his shoulder but he ignored her.

"What is it to you?" The prince continued and the grin on the male's lips widened.

"I can give you something that will steal her heart forever, if you will only give me a chance." His interest piqued, the ellon brushed past his sister and came before the Muru, crossing his arms.

"Alright, what do you suggest?" Lothron rolled her eyes in a very un-elflike way and shook her head in exasperation.

"Gifts will not work, Gwador. You must gain her forgiveness by yourself." She chastised, and he glanced over his shoulder at her with a small smile. (Brother)

"At least, let me see what he has to offer."

Feeling as if he had won the attention of the elves, he shot a confident glance towards the elleth and leaned back onto a rickety stool, balancing precariously on two legs, "It is a myth of the Muruien that if any female sets eyes upon it, they will fall instantly in love with the one who possesses it. No maiden has ever been able to resist it- at least, not to my knowledge." He felt a sense of pride well up in his chest when even the princess seemed to be listening intently, "Will you have it?"

"It sounds more like trickery." She muttered. He shrugged.

"Call it what you will." He replied, shrugging, "But I guarantee it to capture the heart of any lady you desire." Without waiting for an answer, he disappeared behind two tattered curtains into a back room. Both elves watched with curiosity when the sounds of crashing and struggling met their ears and they suddenly wondered what they had gotten themselves into. Lothron sent the ellon an accusing glare and he smiled sheepishly.

A few moments passed and the noises ceased. The curtains parted and the male made his appearance, his hair tousled and beaming from ear to ear. He stretched out his arm with the item held tightly in his hand. Legolas's brow shot up in surprise and wonder while the elleth's face melted into a loving grin, and she rushed forward to take it in her hands.

"It is absolutely beautiful!" She exclaimed, stroking it gently, "I have never seen anything like it before."

The Muru snickered under his breath, sending the prince a wink, and then said to her, "For only ten gold pieces, it is all yours."

"I don't know…" Legolas mumbled, wrinkling his nose. Lothron looked to him with wide eyes.

"She would love it, Legolas." She said anxiously, "You must get it for her." The golden haired elf smirked.

"Do you mean that she would love it, or that you love it?" She gave him a mock glare, then turned her attention back to the Muru.

"Of course, we will take it." She promptly shoved it into her brother's arms who looked down at it with uncertainty.

"I think you are being brash, Lothron." He said as the elleth fumbled around in her leather pouch. She pulled out ten small coins and dropped them into the Muru's hand. He seemed to stare at them in surprise, as though he was not expecting to get that sort of money out of any one, but grinned and slipped them in his own pouch.

"Thank you very much." He said and bowed his head to them, "And good luck with your lady friend!"

As they left, they could hear him chuckling softly and the creaking of his stool. Suddenly, there was a crash and they looked back quickly to find him pulling himself up onto the counter with his elbows painfully, rubbing his head and groaning. The princess stifled her laughter before continuing on her way, Legolas following quickly behind her.

"Lothron!" He called, "What makes you think this will do any good?"

"Because I know she will love it," She started, not even bothering to wait for him to catch up, "You must have faith in me."

"But what are we going to do with it when we bring it back to Mirkwood?" The ellon questioned, "Where can we keep it?"

"In the palace, of course. Where else?"

The golden haired elf stopped in his tracks, sighing softly in annoyance. Lothron glanced back at him curiously, quirking her brow. Her emerald eyes could not help but wander back to the extraordinary item held in her brother's arms and she smiled.

"Lothron, you know we cannot keep it."

"Why not?"

"Because it will get bigger."

"Well, then what do you suppose we do?"

"Return it!" He exclaimed, already turning back to follow his own command, but was abruptly stopped when a familiar voice called to them. Much to the ellon's dismay, they saw a very interested silver haired prince approaching them hurriedly. Lothron smiled in greeting while Legolas only groaned. So much for returning it.

Tarmikos did not bother to greet them, only snatching the item away from the elf and examining it thoroughly with scrutinizing eyes. His face flickered with emotions, and they were not sure whether he was elated to see it or angered. They wondered what it was exactly that he was searching for, though they were not so curious as to ask. A frown appeared upon his lips and he glanced back to the elves.

"Where did you find this?" He asked hurriedly.

"At one of the shops." The princess answered, nodding back in the direction they had just come, "Why? What is it?"

"It is called a Komuned in our tongue." He answered, "Which translates into 'painted shadow' in your own language, or more simply an ocelot. They have grown increasingly scarce in our forests, for many have taken them up as companions, though more hunt them for their furs."

When the Muru gazed into the eyes of the creature, it made a soft squeak and swiped at his face with its paw. Tarmikos recoiled quickly, then smiled, "It relieves me to know that they still exist."

"The one we bought it from told us that there is a legend that surrounds them." Lothron commented, taking the creature in her arms delicately and stroking its spotted coat. The Muru laughed at this.

"You can call it a legend, if you like. Though it is not really true." He replied, his eyes sparkling with mirth, "It is more of a knowledge that all females will flock to its beauty, and desire one for themselves."

"Every female?" Legolas asked doubtfully. Tarmikos nodded.

"Every one." He replied, then cast him a curious glance, "Is that why you bought it? To soothe the ruffled feathers of your lady friend?"

"It was more of Lothron's decision." He muttered, narrowing his eyes at his sister.

The prince shrugged and said, "It was a good idea. But I suggest you keep it entertained before it decides to have you for its next meal."

And with that, the Muru bowed his head and hurried off in the direction the two elves had come from, leaving them both in a state of surprise and worry. Suddenly, Lothron wasn't too sure she wanted to hold the Komuned any longer so she passed it off to the ellon.

"Come, you should give it to her now." She said, then started off towards the palace.

Legolas glanced down to the creature in his arms and swallowed hard when its jaws opened wide in a snarl, baring its long fangs.

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Even when everyone had left and his sister had fallen into sleep, Ricamros could find no rest. Dark thoughts ran rampant through his mind and a splitting headache had developed in his forehead. He knew that his temperature had soared though he did not speak of it to his sister, lest he cause her to worry. That was not something that she needed at the moment.

The fever had caused a low humming in his ears and his vision to haze over, and his eyes darted all over the room. He tried to concentrate on the Muru laying at the foot of the bed, but found it only caused his headache to worsen. He briefly wondered what exactly was causing this feeling, but found his thoughts drifting elsewhere.

Ricamros sighed heavily and glanced over at the elleth in the other bed who had yet to waken. Her chest rose and fell steadily with each breath she took, and her eyes were closed in sleep. The Muru prince did not know much about elves, but knew enough to know that sleeping with one's eyes closed was not always a good thing. He chewed on his bottom lip tentatively.

"Iaurtondariel?" He whispered with a hoarse voice. When she made no response, he cleared his throat and tried again, "Iaurtondariel, are you awake?"

A deep from settled upon his lips when still she did not answer, and he looked back up to the ceiling. He sat there for what seemed like hours, silently brooding, until he noticed a stirring out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over at the lady hopefully and when her eyes fluttered open, he felt a great happiness well up in his chest.

He called her name once again and she furrowed her brow slightly, then looked over at him. She gave him an odd look, as if trying to register who he was exactly, and he asked her, "How are you feeling?"

She did not speak for a long moment, then answered softly, "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Not long," He answered, "Only for the night. Elladan and Estel found us, and brought us back here. But you didn't answer my question." The Muru could not help but smile when she laughed softly.

"Well, I can say that I have been better. You?"

For a moment, Ricamros considered telling her of all the pains and aches that he had, but decided against it, "I am fine, I suppose."

"That is a lie." She scolded playfully, fixing her eyes back on the ceiling. He scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Alright, fine. I feel like I have been trampled by a horse." He muttered. The prince perked up when she laughed and he suddenly wished that the smile on her face would never leave. She was beautiful, he thought to himself, even when in a state such as this.

Comfortable silence took over and they were content to just relax, knowing that the other was there. But then he remembered something, and a light dusting of pink covered his cheeks. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and chewed thoughtfully on his lips. Should he bring it up, or not?

"Iaurtondariel, may I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why did you," He hesitated, and she looked over at him curiously. He steeled his resolve and continued, "Why did you kiss me last night? I thought that you wanted nothing to do with me."

The elleth opened her mouth to reply, closed it quickly, but opened it again, "I do not know. It could have been a spur of the moment idea that I had." Ricamros's face fell in dejection.

"Oh."

"But I don't think that was it." She amended quickly, sending him a smile, "I think it was because I was tired of running from you, and from the truth. We were always destined to be together, and nothing could ever change that. So, I just accepted it."

A surge of confidence rose up in the silver haired prince and she seemed to notice it, laughing at the wide grin upon his face. She rolled onto her side, biting back the discomfort it brought her, and gazed upon him with bright eyes, "Though I do not recall you returning that kiss."

"I was shocked, to say the least." He said, grinning happily, "It was certainly not what I was expecting from you at that moment."

"Do you plan on courting me?"

That question took the Muru prince off guard and he stuttered slightly, his pale face turning a bright red. Her laughter rang throughout the room, and her eyes shined.

"You certainly are a bold one."

This only served to increase her laughter.

**XX**

**Well. This is a long chapter, but I'm not entirely happy with it. I like the beginning, and the ending, but not the stuff in between. This chapter was more of a very long filler- next one should be better. They may even head home next time! It's coming to an end! JOY! By the way, that song Tarmikos sang isn't mine. So if you want the translation to it, tell me in a review and I'll send it along with the incentive. And to anyone who can tell me which language it is, I'll let you borrow Legolas for the day. **

**Alright, incentive time. Review, and you get the first of two parts of a new story. This one features just about every character, lol. So if you want to read it, you must review! Oh, and if you still want the last chapter's incentive, you can just go back and review that one, too. Thanks for reading!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel**


	47. Farewell is Not Forever

**Hello again! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. Hehe, I am so excited. This story is finally coming to an end! Not that I don't enjoy writing it or anything, but I am just ready for a break, lol. Enjoy! **

**XXXXX**

Chapter 47- Farewell is Not Forever

Darkness wheeled above him and he saw nothing but emptiness all around. He had no heartbeat and he felt deathly cold as he lay there, gazing into nothing. Colors exploded before his eyes but he could not make any sense of it. What was this, he wondered, and why did he feel this way?

A low humming soon invaded his ears and he felt as if he had been suddenly thrown backwards. He was enveloped in a soft covering, and light permeated his eyelids. The sounds of whispering came from behind him and it entered his mind that he had come to Mandos yet again. This idea was quickly cast away though, for he did not feel the same peace that he had on his first 'visit'.

Groaning softly, Norui fluttered his eyes open to see a plain, pale blue ceiling above him. It took him a moment to realize where he was and when he did, thoughts of the past night rushed back to him. The ellon grunted under his breath, wanting to forget everything, and he struggled to fall back into oblivion. He would have done so were it not for the sudden outburst from the bed.

"Look, he has finally awakened!" A male voice exclaimed, and the elf could hear the bed sheets shuffling around.

"Oh," Said a very familiar female voice, obviously less cheerful, "That is wonderful."

Clearing his bleary eyes, the Crown Prince sat up on his elbows and looked over to find a beaming Muru prince and a smiling elleth. A fake smile, he commented to himself as he nodded his head in greeting. He did not dare meet her eyes, so only glanced down to the sleeping Muru at the bottom of the bed.

"Is she alright?" He asked tiredly.

"In time, she will be." Ricamros answered, leaning back into the overstuffed pillows, "She is just exhausted, and needs to recover from her wound."

"What about yourself?"

"On the mend." The silver haired prince said this as if it were no matter, shrugging it off with a wave of his hand. Iaurtondariel chuckled slightly, and Norui finally turned his attention towards her.

"And what of you, my lady? I hope you fare well."

"As well as can be expected, my lord." She replied politely, though with tension in her voice. The elf grimaced inwardly, yet the other prince clearly saw it. Quirking his brow, he glanced between them with curiosity.

"What is this unease towards each other?" He asked, "Past quarrels, perhaps?"

When the elleth made no showing of answering the question, Norui shrugged, "You could say that."

"Alright, keep your secrets." Ricamros muttered, crossing his arms, "What does it matter if I am left in the dark?"

"I would just prefer to keep it between us." He said casually, and then glanced over at Iaurtondariel with a small smile upon his lips, "I only wished that my lady would understand that despite what happened, I feel no hostility or resentment towards her. I was never at any point offended by her actions, and that I am more than willing to start anew."

His words brought a wide smile onto her lips, and this time it was genuine. Her bright eyes shimmered with happiness as he gazed upon him, and he could not help but feel as if his spirits had soared. This feeling was only momentary, of course, for Ricamros had grown uncomfortable. He cleared his throat softly, bringing their attention back to him.

"Now you are making me suspicious." He commented, narrowing his eyes slightly. The elleth reached over to him with laugh, placing her hand on the edge of the bed.

"You need not be. We are only friends." She assured him, and this brought a relieved smile to his lips. Ricamros placed his hand over hers, twining his long fingers around hers, and they quickly found themselves lost in each other's eyes, unable to look away.

It was Norui's turn to quirk his brow, and the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "What have we here, hmm? This is certainly new." Iaurtondariel smirked and leaned back against the pillows again, staring down at the ellon.

"You were right, Norui, when you said that I would find someone." She told him, the smirk slowly turning into an elated grin, "And that someone is Ricamros."

A proud gleam came into the Crown Prince's eyes, and he said, "I am happy for you, Iaurtondariel. For both of you. You have my blessing."

"Thank you." She said, bowing her head slightly. He offered her a small smile before lying back, and gazing up towards the ceiling. He let his mind continue to wander in the far recesses of his thoughts. But this time, he let the images and memories of his beloved spring up before him and he basked in the feeling. Whether or not what Eruko had told him about Glithiel was true, he would not let it get the best of him until he knew it to be true. Their enemy had been defeated, and it was time for happiness; not the despair he was slowly sinking into. With this thought in mind, a gentle smile came upon his lips and he sat up quickly, startling the two on the bed with his sudden movement. He brought himself groggily to his feet and stretched his arms high above his head, moaning contentedly. His emerald eyes glanced about the room, landing on the elleth that still slept. He furrowed his brow, and then looked questioningly to the others.

"She has not woken yet?"

"No." Ricamros answered with a shake of his head, "By the time she had come last night, you had already fallen into sleep. She seemed tense and troubled, though neither she nor your brother would speak of it. Norui's lips thinned into a small line, and a frown marred his forehead.

"His doing, my guess." He muttered with a hint of annoyance. Even after everything, his young brother still knew nothing of courting and of ellith. Shaking his head, he stepped carefully over the elf and called over his shoulder, "I'm starving. Would either of you like something?"

"I've already eaten," The silver haired prince started, "Though I am sorry to say what is left has gone cold, leaving nothing for my lady here."

"Then, upon her request, I shall bring something back for her." He cast a glance towards the elleth and she shrugged with a small grin.

"Surprise me."

He smirked, "Alright, my lady Rusc, I'll be sure to fetch you the freshest tripe and grape fruit that I can find." Her face twisted into that of disgust and the ellon laughed, pushing the door open, "Farewell."

The door closed behind him with a click and he strode leisurely down the hall, his curious eyes glancing this way and that. He had very little time to explore the palace since he had arrived, being too frightened of meeting his companions and then thrust into a battle that he was not ready to face. The paintings that lined the walls were like those he had never seen before, each one ranging in a mix of bold colors and wild strokes. Some appeared more as if the artist had simply become bored and threw whatever colors were in front of him onto the canvas, and yet they still showed some sense of unity and of purpose. Almost as if one looked close enough, they could see something staring back at them.

"Norui!" An excited voice called and the Crown Prince found himself wrapped in the arms of a familiar elleth. He looked down at her in surprise, but felt a smile grace his lips.

"Good morning, Lothron." He greeted and she hugged him tighter.

"Thank the Valar, you are awake. We have been so worried about you." The princess told him, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm and gazing into his eyes, "How are you feeling?"

"Shaken, now that you have so violently attacked me." He said cheekily, earning him a smack on the arm.

"Seriously, Norui." She chided, "Legolas has told me what happened last night, and I want to be sure you are alright."

"Everything is fine, honestly. If it were not, I would say so."

"Somehow I doubt that."

The ellon chose to ignore this comment, instead rolling his eyes upwards. A scuffling noise down the hall caught his attention and he looked over his sister's shoulder with a quirked brow. Much to his amusement, he found a disheveled looking Legolas with a…something in his arms. Furrowing his brow, he broke away from the elleth and started down towards the younger ellon. Hearing his approach, Legolas glanced up at him with frustrated eyes, and he gasped.

"What are you doing up?" He demanded, narrowly dodging a swat to his face. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the creature by the scruff of its neck and held it outwards, far from his body. The animal made a threatening hiss-like sound and bared its needle teeth. The elf gulped.

"What in the blazes is _that_?" The dark haired ellon questioned, his eyes widening at the sight of its odd coloring and vicious behavior.

"A nightmare, that is what!" He growled, scowling at the creature, "I cannot believe Lothron actually bought this thing."

"Stop being so negative, Legolas." The elleth reprimanded, linking her arm with her older brother's, "It is your fault it is acting this way."

"Well, forgive me for not wanting to be reduced to nothing but ribbon." He grunted, then held the animal out towards her, "If you are so positive, why don't you take it?"

Rolling her eyes, Lothron snatched the animal from her brother's hands. She tucked it into the crook of her arm, crooning to it as a mother would her child, and ever so slowly, its feistiness began to recede. A low purr issued from its throat as she scratched its belly, its long tail thumping against her arm. When she felt no anger or tension from it, the princess looked up to her youngest brother with a smug smile, then turned and started back down the hall. Norui couldn't help but snicker at the dumbfounded look on Legolas's face.

"Come, my brother. We must make sure that our sister does not spoil the creature beyond belief." He teased, earning himself a scowl. They started off after the elleth side by side, and Norui crossed his arms over his chest, "I would like to know what that thing is exactly, and your purpose for having it."

"She and I bought it at the market. I believe Tarmikos called it a Komuned, and that it is considered very rare." He answered, his frustration quickly subsiding.

"I have seen paintings of them before in the libraries of Imladris." The Crown Prince said, "And according to the small amount of information the elves have gathered on them, that one is still a cub. By the time it reaches hood, it will be twice that size."

A look of despair crossed Legolas's face, and Norui could not help but laugh.

Once this had subsided, he spoke again, "Now, why did you buy it?" The golden haired elf crossed his arms with an inaudible snort.

"It is a gift."

"For…?"

"Jaimea." He said this with an edge of warning, glaring at the other out the corner of his eye. The Crown Prince's brows shot up and a smirk attempted to curve his lips, but he did not allow it.

"You fear I will not allow you to court her still." He commented, keeping his eyes ahead.

"Whether you allow it or not, I will court her nonetheless."

"And I am glad that you have decided to do so." He smiled at the puzzled expression the ellon gave him, "You seem to forget what I said that day. I was worried that you and her both would become distracted were you to court under the circumstances, and my guesses proved correct; for a time, you were distracted. But now, we are no longer in that position and so you are free to do what you will. You have my blessing."

Legolas stood speechless for a long moment, his mouth opened slightly in shock, but he finally smiled. He clasped his hand upon his shoulder and Norui could not help but smirk at the scratches he had acquired from the Komuned. Ignoring this, a proud smile took the place of the smirk and he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Thank you, Gwador-nín."

"Tread carefully on your path, Legolas. Ellith are strange creatures, and their feelings are even stranger. They are sensitive, more so than an ellon's, and can easily be tipped if the wrong or even right thing is said." He finished this with a playful smile, and Legolas laughed and nodded.

"I shall remember that." He chuckled, his eyes alight with mirth. He then paused in his steps, and cast his gaze upon him, "I am glad you are back, Norui."

The Crown Prince smiled humbly and nodded, "So am I."

Both ellyn glanced down the hall when they heard Lothron's impatient calling, and the dark haired elf chuckled, "Go tend to your lady, Legolas. She still sleeps, though I can tell that you have done something to upset her." He smirked at the guilty look that passed across his face, "I, on the other hand, am going to the dining hall. I have been ordered by Lady Iaurtondariel to fetch her a meal, and I do not intend to fail her." He said this with a melodramatic tone, and the younger prince chuckled before parting. Norui watched him walk away, and then returned to his own task.

"Alright, Legolas," Lothron started when he came before her, then carefully dropped the Komuned in his arms. The elleth noticed the apprehensive look on his face, "You need to relax. If you become frustrated with the animal, it will notice this and become frustrated with you as well."

"I will try."

"You had better. Now, go on!" She gently pushed him into the room, and then shut the door behind him.

Legolas's eyes immediately went to the elleth who still lay sleeping, ignoring the curious gazes from the two in the beds. The Muru child that Jaimea had kept with her still slept beside her, curled into a tight ball. Tentatively, he knelt down at her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

It took a moment, but her eyes slowly began to clear and she looked up at him with cold indifference. He offered her a smile despite the lack of enthusiasm upon seeing him, and then set the creature beside her. Frowning, the lady glanced between him and the animal in confusion.

"'Tis for you, my lady." He answered her unspoken question softly, "When I first looked upon it, it reminded me of you, for its beauty matches that of your own. Please accept it, and my apologies along with it." In his heart, he knew that gifts and sweet words would not help him to win her favor back, but it was worth a try.

Biting her lip, the elleth reached out to stroke the spotted fur of the Komuned, and it purred softly in its throat. A smile flitted upon her lips and she sat up slightly to get a better look at it.

Irregular brown spots, outlined in black, marked its sleek, golden body. Its dark eyes glinted in the sunlight, and small yet sharp claws had buried themselves into the soft bedding on the floor. Its long tail swished back and forth, and its ears twitched every which way as it picked up every sound in the room. She had never seen a creature such as this and it filled her with wonder.

"She is beautiful, Legolas." She breathed, her eyes alight. The prince felt a wave of confidence well up in his chest.

"Then she is yours to have." He told her, then added, "If you would have her, of course."

"But I would have no place to keep her."

"Then she can stay in the palace! I know that she would not cause a problem for the other elves, and my Ada would be alright with the idea." Jaimea seemed to ponder this for a moment with a small frown, returning her attention to the creature. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully and sighed.

"I do not live inside the palace."

Legolas furrowed his brow slightly at this. If not in the palace, then where did she live? As far as he knew, there were only a few elves who lived in the woods and those who did were usually part of the border guard. He toyed with the idea that maybe she was a border guard though quickly dismissed it; it was obvious she had no skill in battle. That, and he knew all of the six female wardens personally.

She seemed to notice his curiosity and she explained carefully, "I live in the home of my parents, even if they are gone. It was built in a time of peace when the elves had no fear of living among the trees."

"That is not safe, Jaimea." He admonished gently, "I understand your reasoning behind it, but I would be more at peace if I knew that you were well." He took her hand and placed a kiss upon her knuckles, "Upon returning to Mirkwood, I ask that you remain in the palace. I will arrange for a room to be made up for you, one large enough to keep the Komuned as well."

The elleth looked up at him in shock, but found no lie in his eyes. She hesitating in replying, for even though she would love to be near him always, it felt uncomfortable to be living in the palace after all the years of living in that small home. What would happen to all of her belongings? And the memories that would be left behind?

"I don't know, Legolas…" She drawled, "I am not sure what the King would say."

"That matters not. I can fight him for this privilege, and we also have Norui on our side. He holds even more power than I. Trust me on this."

"I always trust you." This brought a smile to his lips, and she continued, "And I accept your invitation."

"May I be so bold as to ask if you accept my apology as well?" He attempted to say this with humor, though he deemed it unsuccessful, for the frown had returned on her lips.

"There is no reason for you to apologize in the first place, Legolas." She scratched the Komuned behind the ear, "You did not know."

"Even so," He pulled her into his arms carefully, "I don't want any tension or unease between each other. We've had plenty of that in the past few months to last a lifetime. And if you can believe it, Norui has even given us his blessing."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. He did not want us to jump into a relationship in fear that we wouldn't be able to concentrate."

"Ah, yes. Lothron told me about that." She drew herself deeper into Legolas's embrace. Smiling, he placed a kiss on her cheek and then rested his chin on the top of her head. They sat silently for a moment, unaware of the two on the bed still watching them with amusement. When the ellon finally did speak again, he whispered his words into her ear.

"I swear to you that Eruko will be properly buried. Though you must know that Judeqir is the king of this land, and it is his decision in the end what will happen to him."

Jaimea sighed and said just as softly, "Thank you, Legolas." He did not reply to this, only leaning down and capturing her lips gently with his own.

This only lasted for a few moments, for the elleth had pulled away suddenly when she felt a tugging at her nightgown. She smiled when she saw the child looking up at her, a troubled frown on her face.

"What is it?" She questioned gently, absently running her fingers through the Muru's ruffled hair.

"You were kissing your brother again."

Ricamros shot up in his bed with wide eyes upon hearing this and Iaurtondariel had even perked up slightly. They both stared questioningly at the two flustered elves, both looking as if they wanted to say something but not able to find the correct words. Espenshade, still curled up at the foot of the bed, only stirred slightly.

"Is that true?" The silver haired prince gasped, "Are you really related to one another?"

"Of course not!" The ellon shot back, his cheeks flushing, "She does not understand, that is all."

The door suddenly burst open, and all of those who had ventured down to the market made their reappearance with Tarmikos in the lead. Much to their curiosity, a few of them carried various pieces of brightly colored clothing. Elladan and Elrohir carried a wicker basket in between themselves, filled with elaborate slippers and boots. As soon as the door had closed, they dropped it to the floor and quickly sat down.

"You think that thing was heavy enough?" Elrohir complained, rubbing his sore arm, "What are those made of?"

Tarmikos grinned and replied, "The shoes or the basket?"

"Both!"

"Well," He set the two gowns he was carrying at the foot of Iaurtondariel's bed, "The baskets are made of a thick vine found in the forest. We usually use them as foundations for new homes. So if you can imagine, it is necessary for them to be sturdy and heavy."

"And the shoes?"

"Leather." The prince shrugged. He then bent down and picked up the basket, tucking it under his arm, and deposited it in the corner of the room. He smirked at the identical flabbergasted looks on their faces.

"May I ask what this is for?" Ricamros spoke up, gazing around at the assorted garments.

"If you didn't notice, our friends don't have any extra clothing. And if they want to be suitable for any celebration we may have, we would have to get them some." He said matter-of-factly and his brother shook his head in amusement.

"I would think that you would have grown out of that obsession of yours."

"It is not an obsession!" He protested, "Forgive me if I still like to have fun every once in a while."

"Are you saying that I don't like to have fun?"

Tarmikos crossed his arms over his chest, "Maybe."

Ricamros grinned and grabbed his pillow from behind his head, then flung it as hard as he could at his twin. Luckily for him though, the younger prince caught it before it had the chance to hit him. He grinned while his brother pouted.

"No fair. I'm still tired."

"You were the one who threw it, not me."

"I think we've had enough of that already." Iaurtondariel broke in with a scolding tone. She narrowed her eyes at Ricamros, "Especially you. You still need to rest." The prince glared at her in defiance but after a warning glance, he frowned and slid back down onto his side. Tarmikos's brow shot up.

"This is certainly new." The other prince shot him a glare, "Not that I am complaining, of course."

There was a shuffling behind them and he glanced back to see Legolas and Jaimea shifting through the new clothing. He smiled slightly, and then turned his attention to the child who still clung to the elleth. She was also the same one who had thought that his voice had returned. He wondered if perhaps she had the gift of foresight, though it was not likely. Only rarely would a Muru be blessed with that power and even if they had been, it would not yet be evident.

"Are you still with us, Tarmikos?" Ricamros called, snapping the younger twin out of his thoughts. He sent his brother an assuring smile and nodded, "Good. Then would you please take your dress up party out of here so that I may find some sleep?" He scowled, ignoring the laughter behind him.

"Fine." He muttered, and then snatched up the gowns he had placed on the bed and headed out the door with the others in tow. When the door had shut behind them, Ricamros sighed tiredly and glanced over to the elleth in the other bed. He smiled.

She had already fallen into sleep.

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The next few days past by slowly and uneventfully. More and more of the Muruien began to emerge from their private rooms and the markets were soon filled with the chattering peoples of the city. No one acted as if anything significant had happened, for in reality, nothing really did happen that would affect their lives. To them, the elf realm of Mirkwood was a distant land far from their home and not something that they would be concerned about. Though it was obvious they did know of something, for whenever they would pass by the travelers, they would smile and bow their head in respect.

It was about a week from the day Eruko had been slain that King Judeqir finally made his appearance. Though many had approached him and he greeted them warmly, all could tell that he was still drained from the power he had used. Leneya had returned only a few days later, her demeanor bright and rested.

Another six days would pass before life in Banemera returned to normal. The halls were thick with activity as the Muruien scrambled to catch up on anything they may have fallen behind on. It was quite comical, Estel would comment, watching a mess of harassed Muruien rush about in an attempt to get things done. Somehow, it reminded him of his own home back in Rivendell.

Just as he had promised, Legolas had brought up his request to the king, asking that Eruko would be buried properly. But as he had suspected, Judeqir refused this, stating that he had hurt his own family; he was not near ready to forgive him for what he had done. It seemed that he was not yet able to let go of the grudge he had been holding against the Muru. When the prince had told this to the elleth, she seemed disappointed though accepted his decision. It was his kingdom; he could do as he pleased. Even if it was right or wrong.

Tarmikos's guess had been correct- there would, indeed, be a festival dedicated to the companions. Word of it soon spread and it became the biggest item of conversation. Judging by the decorations already being set up in the grand hall, the silver haired prince had not exaggerated in his description.

The day the event would take place, the males and females in the group had been split up. Leneya and Espenshade had gathered the ellith and hurried them into their chambers to prepare them while the twin princes were left to deal with the ellyn. It did not come as a surprise to them when they found that even after they had readied themselves, the ladies still had not finished. Finding nothing better to do, they simply remained in the large room; passing the time with carefree talk.

"Any word on Uhako?" Elladan questioned as he flopped down on his belly onto the couch.

"The healers say that he is almost fully recovered, though they are reluctant to let him go." Ricamros answered as he fought with the leather strings that would keep his shoes in place. He decided that they were cursed when they unraveled for the fourth time.

"They are afraid that he will return to his previous ways." Tarmikos finished for him. He snickered at his brother's 'plight'- who scowled in response- then took a seat on the arm of the couch the Noldor elf was on.

Estel then joined them from a room off to the side, awkwardly tightening the sash around his waist. He was adorned in similar clothing as the others: a long, pale blue tunic that split at the sides with thin sleeves. Under this was another lightweight tunic that reached down to his hands, catching his middle finger. He wore a pair of loose grayish leggings that tucked into the leather shoes that wrapped halfway up his calf.

"I feel like a moron." He muttered, examining himself in a mirror while running his fingers through his wavy hair. The Muru twins had insisted on braiding back his tresses, but he had firmly shot it down.

"Do not fret, Estel." Norui said, grinning slightly, "You will not be to only one dressed like that." He motioned to his own outfit, almost identical to the human's except in a dark red color.

"I think they are very comfortable." Elrohir commented, playing with the fringes on his sleeve, "I may buy a few of them and give them to Ada."

"He would appreciate that, I'm sure." Elladan replied with a snicker.

"You insult me!" The younger twin exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Speaking of Lord Elrond," Legolas broke in quickly so as to prevent their argument from continuing, "When do we plan on returning home? Personally, I would like to know the wellbeing of my own Adar."

This comment seemed to dampen the mood a bit as every one fell into silence. It had been months since they were last in their home and even though this amount of time was only a speck in their lifetime, it seemed to be forever since they were in familiar lands. The longing to return home finally caught up with them and they were torn. Their short time in the Muru city had been a new experience for them all, and it would be difficult to revert back to their old lifestyle.

"Are you ready to leave?" Norui asked him, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. The golden haired prince frowned slightly, hesitating before speaking.

"I would very much like to see the trees again." He answered softly.

"We could get you there in only a week." Ricamros said, though reluctant to get involved in the conversation. Truthfully, he did not want them to leave. It had been many years since any outsiders had come to the city, especially ones as entertaining as these.

"Even if we stopped in Rivendell first?" Estel asked and the older Muru pursed his lips in thought.

"We have never traveled there before, so I do not know exactly how long it would take. Though either way, the trip would not take any longer than a week and a half."

"We should talk to the others before we make any decision." Norui said; this alone seemed to end the conversation immediately. But now with this thought in mind, no one could seem to think of anything else. It had been long, indeed, since they had set out from their homes. It was due time to return.

The door then opened and the females of the group returned, and the males smiled upon the sight. They were clad in very much the same style as their own, though more elegant and elaborate. Their skirts, colored in golds, silvers, and blues, touched just below their ankles and their delicately embroidered sleeves belled out at the elbow. There wore no jewelry, and so they decorated their hair with small, bright flowers instead.

Standing there, the ellyn could see that they were just as awkward in the new garb as they were. In an attempt to ease this, Elladan stood up and went to Arwen, taking her hands in his.

"Someone is looking beautiful this evening." He said with an impish grin, and then touched the petals of a small blue flower braided in her hair. The elleth smiled and chuckled.

"Do you speak of me, or of yourself?"

Ignoring the laughter of his friends behind him, the elf smirked, "Myself, of course. How can one not see me as beautiful?"

"Very easily!" Elrohir exclaimed, earning himself a scowl from his brother.

Everyone quickly mingled together, each breaking off into their own conversations, but no one brought up the mentioning of returning home again. It was inevitable, of course, that they were to do just that, but none of them wanted to think about it at the moment. Instead, they thought only of the festivity that was quickly approaching.

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When the sun had begun to disappear on the horizon, and the skies were painted with oranges, pinks, and reds, the Muruien people had gathered in the greatest hall in the palace. No Muru was excluded from the merrymaking; not even the common people who now chattered and danced cheerfully with the higher lords and nobles. Bright flowers decorated the tables laden with food, and elaborate tapestries were hung about the walls. Lively music was played, accompanied by voices in strange tongues, and the people danced exuberantly in the center of the room.

The Muruien took little notice of the elves entering and quickly hiding up against the wall. They watched warily as the people passed them by, eating and drinking and laughing as they went. Occasionally, one would send them a glance and smile, but their attention was soon captured by something of more interest. This did not bother the elves in the least bit.

About an hour into the event, the younger of the princes and his sister finally arrived. The Muruien greeted them with cheerful cries, and they returned them likewise, and then disappeared into the masses. Not long after, Ricamros entered with Iaurtondariel at his side.

When a simpler song had begun to play, a few of the elves took the opportunity to join in the dancing. The Crown Prince of Mirkwood watched in amusement as his sisters dragged the less than willing Noldor twins into the crowd and Estel hurried off to join them with Arwen at his side, but Legolas and Jaimea remained with him; the elleth claiming to be not in the mood for dancing, and the ellon simply wished to stay beside his brother.

"Honestly, Legolas, I am fine by myself." The dark haired ellon insisted, "You and Jaimea have fun."

"And let you sit here alone? I cannot allow that." The prince retorted, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. Norui sighed heavily and mimicked his brother's position.

"I cannot allow you to ruin the night because of me. Now go! I am sure I can coerce some lady to dance with me."

"I pity any maiden that does!" Legolas laughed as he took Jaimea by the hand and led her into the dancing crowd. A gap in the circular and winding pattern the Muruien had taken and the two elves jumped into it, and then quickly became lost within the masses. Norui smiled as he watched the two, leaning back against the wall, and he was reminded of all the festivals and merrymaking he had experienced in his own home. The celebrations of the Muruien were certainly different than his own, though they lacked in something that the elves' had. What this was exactly, he was not sure, but it made him feel empty.

"Ah, there you are!" A raspy yet powerful voice called to the elf and he looked through the crowd to see an old man, clad in gray robes, with a beard that grew down to his waist. Recognition flooded through the ellon and a wide grin appeared upon his face.

"Mithrandir!" He called as he quickly made his way over to the old wizard, "I had forgotten you had even come with us!" The elf clapped his hands on the Istar's shoulders in greeting, and the wizard chuckled heartily.

"Indeed, young one, that does not come as a surprise to me. I admit that I have been rather occupied lately," An odd gleam came in his eyes when he smiled, "As have you."

It took a long moment for the Crown Prince to understand the meaning behind this and when he did, he lowered his head in shame, "I am sorry, Mithrandir. I failed us all back in the caves and I paid for my mistakes with my life." He then paused and furrowed his brow, "But how did you know that I had returned? Did someone tell you?"

The Istar said nothing, only bowing his head to him slightly, and then motioning over the elf's shoulder, "I believe someone is looking for you."

Norui did not bother to look, for a long pair of arms suddenly wrapped loosely around his neck and he felt the person rest their head on his shoulder, warm breath and silky hair tickling his skin. A wide smile split upon his lips when the person chuckled, instantly recognizing the sound.

"Good evening, my lady Leneya." He greeted, reaching up to untwine her arms from him. He turned to face her, and then took her hands in his and placed a kiss upon each one, "I see you fare well."

"And I see that you still have not dropped the formality between us." She replied good naturedly as she patted the top of his head playfully, "Now come, dance with me! I would dance with my brothers, but Ricamros is with Iaurtondariel and Tarmikos has vanished to who knows where. So that leaves me with you!"

"Ah, so I was your last choice?" He teased with a quirked brow. She smirked.

"Yes."

Well, that wasn't what he had expected, he thought to himself. She seemed to take amusement in his shocked expression, so he decided to remedy the situation.

"Well, then I am sorry to disappoint you, my lady, but I decline your request." He told her, then crossed his arms and looked away.

"That was not a request," She started and he gave her a curious glance, "It was an order."

The ellon stared at her in astonishment for a long moment, with only Mithrandir's hand catching his attention, "I will leave you know." He informed them with humor in his voice, "Have a nice evening." He then turned and went back the way he had come.

Norui could not help but smile at the mischief in her eyes, and so he nodded with an exaggerated bow, "If that is what my lady wishes then, I cannot deny it." He smiled at her giddy expression, "Sweep me away to where ever you will."

Laughing, Leneya took him by the hand and happily dragged him out into the masses of dancers. They did not notice the gaze of the oldest Muru prince upon them as they spun and laughed among the crowd. Only when the elleth he danced with called his name did he draw his attention away from them.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" He asked her and she rolled her eyes upwards with a smile.

"I had asked you if we might rest a bit." She replied as he grabbed her hand and twirled her towards himself, bringing her up against his chest.

"Is my lady growing tired?" He teased with a small grin.

"Perhaps." Iaurtondariel then broke away from him and weaved out of the crowd, him following at her tail. She had just made it to the large doors leading out to the balcony before she felt the prince grab her arm and swing her around until she had lost the momentum, and he pulled her against his chest; wrapping his arms around her back. He smiled in triumph while she gave him a mock glare, "I do not see what you have against me resting."

"Oh, nothing at all." He said, shrugging, "I just wanted you to wait up for me."

The elleth gave him a dubious look before turning towards the balcony doors again and starting out. But she froze quickly and darted back into the hall before Ricamros even had the chance to take a step out.

"What is it?" He questioned as he peeked around the corner, and his jaw dropped at the sight. It seemed as if they had found his twin brother, but he was not alone.

Perched upon the far banister was the younger twin and beside him was a maiden with hair as silver as the moon above, clad in a gown as dark as the night sky. She was pale, paler than most Muruien, and her fair complexion contrasted against his golden skin. They did not notice the two watching them, for they had lost themselves in a gentle and sweet kiss.

"When did this happen, I wonder?" Ricamros whispered, more to himself than to Iaurtondariel, "I have never seen him with a lady before, let alone take interest in any."

The prince turned away from the sight when he heard someone approaching, and he smiled uneasily when he saw King Judeqir standing before him. He only hoped that his brother had noticed before he had, and had been able to slip away unnoticed. Though judging by the activity that he was occupied with, he probably had not.

"You have not seen him take interest," Judeqir started, "Because your head is always in the clouds. Had you opened your eyes, you would have noticed the love between him and the lady."

Ricamros furrowed his brow in puzzlement, "You know about this, father?"

"Of course, I do." The king replied, "I've been aware of it since the beginning."

"How long?"

"It would be four years this night, as a matter of fact. Her name is Jocikah, daughter of Ikeo. He is a shopkeeper in the markets."

At the mentioning of a commoner, the prince frowned, and his thoughts instantly rushed back to his sister and the love that she had lost. Was Daeron not a commoner also? What set him apart from this lady? He gazed upon his father questioningly and the king was able to read his thoughts.

"Despite her family, she is a proud and strong woman. I hold her in high respect, but I could give no such thing to a thief and a tramp." His tone seemed to command the end of the discussion and so Ricamros made no further comments on the matter. Though he had every intention on speaking with his brother about it. He gave the older Muru a curt nod, then turned his attention back to the two Muruien on the balcony as Judeqir strode away.

They had broke away from each other during the conversation, and now only held onto one another as if they never wanted to part. Tarmikos had nearly drawn her into his lap, foreheads touching, with his fingers twisted in her silver locks. He seemed to be whispering soft words to her as she clutched at his tunic almost desperately. And then he leaned down ever so slightly to claim her lips once more.

The older twin felt himself blushing as he watched them, so he turned away from the sight and leaned against the wall, "It is amazing that I had never noticed this before. All those years, and I was oblivious."

"What amazes me more," Iaurtondariel started as she pulled her gaze aware, "Is that their love still survived, even when he could not speak."

"I had not thought of that…" He trailed off. The elleth, hesitating slightly, came forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, then took his hand in hers.

"Let us not think of this." She said brightly as she led him back into the center of the room, "I believe that I have rested enough and I am ready for more dancing." She laughed at the wide grin that quickly made its way back onto his face, and they lost themselves in the beat of the music.

Well throughout the night, the dancing and singing continued and food continued to be served. Few Muruien had left to retire, and those that did were only the children. They seemed to be tireless, some having rested only a few times that night. It must have been three hours past the moon's peak before the dancing ceased and the people began to disperse back to their homes. This happened slowly, though, and another two hours had passed before the last person departed.

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Legolas awoke that morning to a rhythmic rubbing at his lower back and he sighed softly. He attempted to discern the one behind this as his mind stumbled back into the waking world, though this seemed futile. His first thought was perhaps Jaimea, but knew that she still slept beside him.

The rubbing started to become more of a scratching, not nearly as comforting. Deciding to find out what exactly it was, he rolled over to come upon his back, and then heard a sudden thud on the floor. What it was, it had fallen off. Furrowing his brow, the elf opened his eyes and leaned over the edge of the bed.

Black, livid eyes of the Komuned glared back at him, muscles twitching as it readied itself to pounce.

The prince gasped and hurried moved away from the edge as the creature leapt up at him with its claws extended. He yelped when it landed upon his belly, protected only by a thin sheet and an equally thin nightshirt, and pierced its sharp claws into his flesh. Jaimea jolted awake at the thrashing beside her, but found herself unsure as to whether she should laugh or rescue the ellon. Somehow, watching the young prince desperately try to bat away the furious animal was highly amusing, despite the thin, red marks that trailed up his arms.

The elleth quickly snatched the Komuned away from the elf, letting her laughter loose, and the creature seemed to instantly pacify. Purring softly in its throat, it rubbed its head against her cheek; curling its long tail around her arm. Jaimea looked up to Legolas with amusement shining in her eyes.

"I don't see what that thing has against me." He muttered crossly as he kicked the blankets away, then put his feet on the ground. As if it knew what he had said, the Komuned made a hissing-like noise at him, its lips curling back into a snarl. Scowling, Legolas mimicked the noise, then stood up and made his way to the dresser. He did not react when he heard the elleth chuckle softly.

"Perhaps if you try being nice, she will like you better." She suggested as she, too, slipped off the edge of the bed. She watched the animal dig at the sheets, then sprawl out on its side.

"Forgive me if I do not like to be wakened by claws digging into my skin." He scoffed, pulling a pair of leggings from the drawers and tossing them on the floor. He closed it louder than was really necessary, scooped up the clothing, and headed over to the large wardrobe, "I do not know how I will ever live with it."

"She will stay in my chambers, of course. You will never have to see her." Legolas gave her a doubtful look, then took out a pale blue tunic as the door to the room opened. Norui stuck his head in, then came in fully and shut the door behind him.

"I hope that I am not interrupting anything." He said, more out of a requirement than out of truly caring. The golden haired elf did not reply, nor did the elleth, and so he leaned against the wall; crossing his arms over his chest, "While you two slept the morning away, we discussed our return home."

This seemed to catch the younger ellon's attention, for he dropped the clothing in his hands and gazed upon his brother intently, "And what did you decide?"

"We will leave this evening. Ricamros, Tarmikos, and Espenshade have offered to bring us home by way of air."

"By air?"

The Crown Prince shrugged, "They will not explain exactly. I expect them to change into some winged creature, though they had an air of mischief about them. They have something in store for us, I believe." He answered and stared hard at his silent brother, "They are resting now, claiming that they will need much energy for the journey."

Still, the younger prince remained silent as he mulled over this new information. Time had passed so quickly and he had not noticed, taking for granted what he had. Now that it was finally time to leave, to return home, he wondered how much he would miss the Muruien city, and if he would ever lay eyes upon it again. This indecision did not go unnoticed by the Crown Prince.

"Legolas," He started seriously yet gently, "I will not force you to come with us and King Judeqir will not force you to leave. All of us were given the same choice. If it is what you desire, you may stay until you are ready to come home."

"No!" He exclaimed, almost horrified at the idea, "No, of course not. I could never choose this place, no matter how wonderful, over the forest. I will return to Mirkwood with you and our sisters to see how our Adar fares."

"Mithrandir is staying, you know. And Estel may possibly remain, as well." He continued. Legolas smirked.

"Are you trying to keep me here, Gwador-nín?"

"No, not at all. I am simply letting you know that you are free to do what you will." Norui answered.

"I have chosen what it is I will do."

"Good." The Crown Prince smiled, and then bowed at the waist to the two elves, "The remainder of the day is yours to do what you wish."

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Being their last day in the city, the group split up and wandered wherever their feet would carry them. Some had gone down to the markets to buy whatever trinkets they may find to remind them of their stay while others contented themselves to be among the people. Last minute farewells were said with those that they had befriended and they did all they could to make their last day in Banemera memorable.

When the three that would take them home awakened, they immediately began indulging themselves in a meal that may have fed at least fifteen people. Most of this consisted of a clear liquid that had a bitter smell though was sweet to the taste. They had explained that it would give them an extra boost of energy, even if they did not really need it. They just enjoyed the feeling it gave them.

The sun was just beginning its fall into the west when the company had gathered together again; Estel had decided to join them after all, not wishing to incur the wrath of his foster father. They spoke not a word to one another and a sense of melancholy hung heavily in the air. None were truly willing to leave the city but the calling of their homes won them over in the end.

The two princes and the princess appeared then, hurrying towards them with apologetic looks upon their faces. Behind them trailed two other women, one they knew to be Iaurtondariel, but the other they did not recognize. She had the same features as the Muruien twins, though they knew that she was not their kin. The lady gave them a small smile before moving next to the younger prince.

"We are sorry that we are a little late." Ricamros said as he walked towards the doors that would lead out to a great balcony, "Leneya had caught us and wished us to tell you farewell."

"For the hundredth time." Elladan commented dryly.

Gathering up their belongings, they then passed on to the balcony and the Muruien, including the woman that they still had not learned the name of, stepped away from them. The bright, golden light engulfed their bodies, lasting longer than normal. When the glow had faded, the elves stared in awe at the beings before them.

In place of the two princes were magnificent, silver dragons. Their hard scales glistened in the sun's rays and great wings were folded up on their backs. Long tails twisted about their clawed feet, long manes of silver hair fell down their necks, and their piercing eyes shined a deep blue. They were a wonder to behold and the company briefly wondered if they had strayed into a dream.

But the two females had chosen a creature less extraordinary, though by no means less beautiful. They had taken the shape of large eagles, one silver and the other gold, and they resembled the great birds of Gwaihir's kind. Their bright eyes shined in amusement at the stupefied looks upon the company's eyes.

"Whenever you are ready." One of the dragons said, baffling them even further. A deep rumble came from his chest, presumably laughter, "Real dragons can speak, so why not us as well? We must act the part." Espenshade made a shrill squeal at this comment, and the dragon snorted; a small wisp of smoke escaping his nostrils.

The group started forward to claim their 'mounts'. Legolas immediately clambered upon the feathery back of Espenshade, followed by Jaimea and Norui. The younger prince watched the Komuned in the elleth's arms warily as it stared back at him through narrowed eyes. The two Mirkwood princesses chose to ride upon the silver eagle, as well as Estel, and the Noldor twins perched themselves on Tarmikos's back with Arwen. Perfectly content to ride alone, Iaurtondariel happily climbed up onto the smooth back of Ricamros. The dragon peered over his shoulder at her and snorted again.

"Have me all for yourself, hmm?" He teased. She only smirked in response.

As though and unanimous decision had passed between the four Muruien, they spread their great wings and crouched down to the ground, then thrust themselves upwards into the air.

The wind whistled past their ears as they struggled to stay on, rising higher and higher into the sky. The palace, the trees, and the people walking below grew smaller as their speed increased. The company gazed downwards, taking their last look of the place that they would probably never see again. The muggy heat of the forest began to disperse, being replaced with the cool, fresh air of the skies and as they passed into the clouds and above, the city disappeared from their sight.

They then turned their attention to the north and in the distance; they could already make out the jagged peaks of the far mountains. After months of traveling, they were finally heading home.

**XX**

**I am becoming frustrated. I need to work on a story for school that I should have been working on all summer, but have not been. I have been torn between writing this, the incentive, and the school project. I would put this on hiatus but considering that there will be only three more chapters to go, maybe only two, it would be pointless. So let's see what happens. Also, school starts up soon. Whoop de do. Let's see if we can get this done before then. Not likely. **

**And you heard me right. THREE more to go, at the most. Maybe not even that. Almost two years later, the story is coming to an end. Marking the first story I have ever completed. Well, except Red Bird. Which, by the way, if you haven't already, you must read! I swear to you that there are no lemons or anything like that. I rated it M just for safety. The story will be _essential_ for the sequel to this. If you don't want to be confused out of your mind, reeeead it:attempts freaky hypnosis: **

**Incentive: Second part of "Never Forget". May turn out to be a third part to it. Not sure yet. **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel **


	48. Endless Days

**This chapter is dedicated to Steve Irwin, who died tragically on Monday, September 4th. **

**XX**

Chapter 48- Endless Days

The speed at which they traveled was incredible, though they would never notice it unless they kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. They had escalated so high that their breath began to come out as thin mist that would quickly zip behind them. Below them, the colors of the landscape had almost blended together and the whole land appeared to be more like a painting rather than what it really was. Streaks of blue wove and twisted among the golds and greens that were the meadows, and the brown and gray ridges of the mountains jetted up towards them, looming in the distance. They flew above even the birds and they passed through the clouds, the cool winds whooshing past their faces and blowing their clothing wildly about their bodies.

So fascinated, they were, that they did not notice the far mountains growing larger on the horizon and the time falling behind them. Night was beginning to set on them when they finally came to the mountains but Nórui had refused to rest there, still haunted by the memories that flooded forth by the very sight of those mountains. The Muruien respected his request and touched down a few miles from the feet of the peaks.

The Crown Prince would sleep very little that night, sitting up in his bedroll with his eyes turned towards the north. His mahogany hair blew softly about his face and his emerald eyes shimmered from the starlight above. He was so still, so stoic, that the company wondered if he had suddenly turned to stone. Only an occasional deep breath from him would assure them that this had not taken place.

They had taken flight before the sun even rose the next morning so that they would be able to rest longer in the middle of the day. The pace had slackened considerably, so much so that they had traveled only about ten miles in a few hours. They had not yet reached the Gap of Rohan when they landed again and set up camp.

"Tarmikos," Ricamros started as he plopped down on the ground and began to root through his pack, "You have not introduced the others to your lady friend, you know."

His twin glanced at him oddly for a moment, then turned his attention to the other members of the group, "Everyone, this is Jocikah. Jocikah, everyone." The woman rolled her eyes slightly and the company chuckled softly.

"I don't believe that was proper." The other Muru prince commented. Sighing in exasperation, Tarmikos tried again.

"Jocikah, this is Nórui, Legolas, Melyanna, and Lothron of the House of Thranduil, Jaimea of Mirkwood, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, and Estel of the House of Elrond." He sent his brother a smirk, "Nórui, Legolas, Melyanna, Lothron, Jaimea, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, and Estel," He took a deep breath, "This is Jocikah."

He smiled at Ricamros's annoyed expression.

"Now that that's over," Espenshade interrupted them once she had changed back into her true form, "A little something to eat would be nice. I'm starving."

"And you tell me this because…?" The silver haired prince drawled, looking up at her questioningly.

"You were the one who brought the food." She answered.

"Was I?"

"You better have brought it, Ricamros! Unless you wanted to know what it felt like for me to wring your neck!"

The Muru laughed with a large grin on his face, and then said, "Of course I brought food with me. But the food I brought was intended for me, not you." Espenshade glowered at his triumphant smile.

'What about me?" Iaurtondariel asked him suddenly, leaning over to him with an expectant look on her face. The prince's eyes widened slightly and his mouth opened and closed as he tried to think of an excuse.

"Well, uh…"

In this momentary lapse of attention, the elleth smirked and reached over, snatching his pack from his lap. She then proceeded to rummage through the bag while he sat with a scowl on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. A few moments later, she grinned and pulled out a thin piece of dried meat, then tossed the bag back to Ricamros.

"Thanks." She said teasingly, laughing slightly at the annoyed look he gave her.

They did not remain in that place long, only giving themselves enough time to eat and to determine where they were exactly. While the others ate and talked idly, Elladan and Elrohir had drawn out a rough map in the dirt, illustrating the area between them and Imladris. Ricamros studied it carefully, occasionally pointing something out and asking its purpose, before the map was brushed away and they readied themselves to leave again. The company found that they still watched in awe as the Muruien transformed into the magnificent creatures that served as their mounts.

Two more days would pass and they did not alter in their routine: fly until mid-day, rest, and then fly until night came upon them. A simple map would be drawn to find their location again, and then they would be off. They continued this way until only about twenty more miles separated them from their destination, and they rested for the night. They had decided that the next day, they would not rest until they reached the elven city of Rivendell. Once there, they would stay for a few days in order to regain their strength, and then make the last part of their journey to Mirkwood.

That night, the dark sky was littered with bright stars and the moon was a fullest. Crickets hidden in the thick grasses chirped happily, their love songs filling the silence of the darkness, and a small mouse would occasionally scamper out of the thickets and dart along the perimeter of their camp, then disappear once again. The fire they had built crackled and licked at the thin branches that they fed it, eating up everything with its greedy tongue, and the flames danced hauntingly, casting shadows upon their faces.

The group spoke little that night, too captivated by the fire before them. Wordlessly, they would lay down on their sleeping mats and drift off to sleep one by one. A unanimous decision had been made that the golden haired prince would be keeping watch, considering that he was the last one awake. He did not complain.

A few hours passed and Legolas did nothing but stare into the flames, though his ears were alert, searching for any sound of movement. Only one thing ever caught his attention, and that was the Komuned returning from a hunt. A dead mouse was clamped firmly in its mouth and it snorted softly at the elf before prowling over to Jaimea and plopping down on the ground.

"There is no need to stay awake, Legolas." A woman's voice said to him softly from the side, "My brothers are aware of everything, even if they appear lost to the world." The Muru chuckled as she glanced to the silver haired twins.

"I know. I'm just not tired." He answered as she came to sit beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his cheek, and then placed both hands in her lap.

"Do you look forward to returning home?" Espenshade asked.

"I suppose." The prince answered after a moment, "Though I will miss Banemera. I do not understand how you could not want to live in that place; it is so different from Mirkwood."

The Muru laughed softly and nodded, "It is, indeed. But you know my reasons for not wanting to remain there." She gave him a sidelong glance and he frowned.

"Will you never forgive your father?"

"How can I? If he had not banished the both of us, Daeron never would have been killed by that accursed elf." Bitterness seeped from her words as she said this but she quickly tried to sober herself. Legolas said nothing as she took a deep breath and continued, "Fate has odd ways of working, such that one can say it is actually Daeron's fault that he had been killed. Had he not tried to sneak into my room that night, he never would have been caught and thus never sent away."

"You say fate has odd ways of working, but death does so as well. It was decided that his time had come; if it was not that, it would be something else."

Espenshade chuckled without humor, "I suppose. Though I would have preferred a more peaceful death, if it was really necessary."

Legolas looked away from her and to the ground, tracing patterns into the ground with his toes. He said, "You know, he is in the Halls of Waiting with my Naneth."

"How do you know?" The princess rounded on him quickly, her eyes wide in shock, "I thought only elves went there."

"I thought so, too." He laughed, "But long before I realized who you truly were, I had a vision, I think it was. Either that, I had begun to fade. I had come to the Halls of Waiting and I saw my Naneth there, then she had shown me that Daeron was there as well."

The prince smiled at the flabbergasted look on her face and she began to ramble off, "Well, how is he? Is he all right? Is he happy? Does he still look the same?"

"He is fine and yes, he still looks the same." The ellon answered with amusement. The lady smiled slightly though it did not reach her eyes, and he gave her a thoughtful gaze, "It seems that you would know all of this though. Can you not see him?"

Espenshade shook her head sadly, "Nay, I cannot. Sometimes I will feel a glimmer of him in me, but that is all. The only way I can remind myself of him is knowing that wherever he may be, he is still watching me and protecting me. That, and the memories that we shared."

Legolas opened his mouth to speak but hesitated slightly. He simply wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her close to his side, resting his cheek on the top of her head. The elf heard her sigh in contentment, "Thank you." She whispered so quietly that he had to strain to hear her, and then she looked up at him with a small smile.

The ellon's brow shot up when she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. It lasted but a few moments and then she pulled away with the smile still on her mouth. Where had that come from?

"Uh…" He trailed off weakly, watching her questioningly and she laughed quietly at the confusion on his face.

"I am sorry, Legolas," She grinned, "I had forgotten you were not Muruien. In our culture, close friends and sometimes relatives will kiss if the moment is appropriate. So I thought it would be right to do so." The doubtful look on his face had still not disappeared and she rolled her eyes playfully, "It was not a romantic gesture, I promise."

"If you are certain."

"I am, now relax!" She laughed again, and then leaned back into his embrace. Quietly, she added, "Besides, I'm sure you are nothing compared to Daeron."

Legolas decided it would be wiser not to comment on that remark.

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"There it is!" Elrohir shouted excitedly as his eyes scanned the horizon. Elladan looked over his brother's shoulder and a grin flitted upon his face; the welcoming valley of Rivendell loomed in the distance.

"It is about time." He said, more calmly than the other elf had done, "I'm afraid my bottom is about to fall off."

A deep rumbling from the silver dragon beneath them caught their attention and they assumed it to be his laughter, "Your bottom, hmm?" The dragon's lips turned up into a grin, though it looked more like a snarl due to the gleaming white teeth that protruded from his mouth, "I can make much more than your bottom fall off, my lord."

Startled yelps came from both elves as the dragon twisted suddenly and they found themselves falling from its back, downwards to the ground. Their terrified screams met the ears of their companions and when they thought that life was over for them, they impacted with the soft underbelly of the creature that had just thrown them down. The rumbling returned and even a puff of smoke escaped his nostrils.

"That was not funny." The elder twin muttered angrily, glaring straight into the dragon's blue eyes. Elrohir said nothing, still shaken by the near-death experience.

Not two hours later, Imladris was no longer a speck on the horizon. The buildings of the elven city could be visibly seen and the elves could even pick out a few of the people roaming on the paths. Some of them had already noticed their approach and had stopped to look upon them. After all, how often was it that two silver dragons and a couple of giant eagles came to Rivendell?

"Perhaps we should stop and change back into our true forms?" Ricamros suggested as his dark eyes gazed over the elves in the city.

"No," Elladan answered, "They need a little excitement."

"Alright then. But if Tarmikos and I get shot at, we will blame you." The dragon accented this with a snort.

Much to their relief, they did not get shot at as they flew over Imladris. Though there was a lot of scrambling around and screaming, the company noticed. For some reason, Estel found much enjoyment in this.

The four Muruien, having nowhere else to go, landed upon the large balconies that protruded from the buildings. The elves gazed upon them in amazement and shock when the group clambered off their backs and stared around themselves in happiness- they had finally returned to familiar lands. The four had just begun to return to normal form when a dark haired ellon suddenly burst through the doors, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Ada!" Arwen exclaimed joyfully as she rushed towards him, followed by her brothers, and wrapped her arms around him, "It has been so long!"

Elrond said nothing in response, his eyes still transfixed on the four Muruien who gazed just as openly at him. Small smiles tugged at their lips as the elf seemed to measure them up, debating whether or not they were animals or people. Those who watched on could not help but chuckle softly in amusement.

"Will you give us no welcome?" Elladan asked, startling his father out of his stupor. The ellon looked over to him and managed a small smile.

"Of course, I will. I am just a bit surprised by your sudden return." He paused, then added, "And the manner of your return."

"There is no reason to worry." The elleth said, noticing the older elf's apprehension towards the Muruien, "They have been our friends for a long part of our journey. They will be gone as soon as the others return to Mirkwood, though I will not like to see them leave."

"Have no fear, my lady," Tarmikos spoke up, drawing Elrond's attention to him, "We have an odd habit of turning up at the most unexpected of times."

"You make yourself sound so mysterious." Ricamros said with a small grin, looking over to his brother.

"Perhaps that is because I have some creativity whereas you have none."

As this banter continued, the Peredhil sighed tiredly and shook his head, "Ai, Valar, more twins." Elladan and Elrohir grinned mischievously at their father who then placed small kisses on their foreheads, then turned and went back through the doors. He called over his shoulder, "Would you please find your friends some rooms? I need to inform everyone of your return." More like warn them, he thought dryly as the door shut behind him.

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As they traveled the halls throughout the day, the Muruien suddenly realized how the elves must have felt during their stay in Banemera. Everything seemed so foreign to them and they found themselves questioning almost everything they saw. The people of Rivendell were more than happy to answer anything they brought up, a few even explaining a little too thoroughly. But even so, they drank in all the information they could get. Even the rooms provided to them were so different from what they had themselves, so much so that they had to be forced from the chambers when the final meal was announced.

And that brought even more fascination from them as they watched the food being served around to the tables. Even if it didn't leave the best impression, they tried everything that had been offered to them. They were most shocked when the Lord of Imladris had called attention to them all, recognizing them as guests in the Hidden Valley and welcoming them with great exuberance. They smiled and gave their thanks to him, though were deeply surprised by it all. They noticed that Espenshade, having lived with the elves for countless years, was not in the least startled by it and even seemed to be enjoying their 'plight'.

After the meal had ended and the elves had retreated to their homes, Lord Elrond had called his children away to a private room so that they may catch up on all the happenings of late, leaving the others to themselves. Espenshade had taken to guiding the other Muruien around the winding corridors and streets of Rivendell while the four children of Mirkwood sat together in one room, talking softly amongst themselves of their home. They wondered at the fate of their father and of their people, and what sort of state the palace would be in at their return. This sort of talked continued well into the night and they slept where they were, not having the heart to leave each other after so long of not having time together.

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The next day would prove to be very interesting indeed. A few of them- Espenshade, Legolas, and Jaimea- had thought it would be a good idea to visit the library in order to do a little reading up on the creature that the elleth had brought back from the Muruien city. Upon entering, they all caught sight of a very familiar face, so diligently at work that he did not even notice their entrance.

Erestor.

A smirk flitted upon Espenshade's and, hiding behind a large bookshelf, quickly took the shape of the Peregrine falcon. Legolas smiled at the sight of her but as realization set in, his eyes widened.

"Don't do anything you will regret later." He whispered to her and she quirked her head, blue eyes gleaming.

"What do you mean?" Jaimea asked curiously but the ellon did not answer. Both elves watched as the bird leapt into the air and silently glided towards the other ellon.

Hunched down in a soft chair was the chief advisor to Lord Elrond, peacefully enjoying a book. He took little notice of the entry of the three people, too occupied in his read to bother greeting them, though he was faintly curious of the identity of the foreign lady that accompanied them. He had not attended the meal that past evening and so had not learned of her, though he would soon find out exactly who she was, unbeknownst to him. When she had disappeared behind a bookshelf, he lost all thought of her and returned his full attention to his book.

Suddenly, his sharp ears picked up on the soft beating of bird wings coming towards him and he glanced up slightly over the top of his book. A dark shadow passed over his face upon recognition of the golden falcon and he silently cursed his luck when she perched herself in his lap. He looked down his nose at her as she peered up at him with one beady eye.

A golden light then manifested around her small being and Erestor's eyes widened in surprise and shock. The light grew larger until it spread across both legs and over the sides of the chair, and his book slipped from his fingers. He shut his eyes against the blinding light and when he opened them, the woman who had entered with the two elves had taken the place of the falcon.

A mischievous smile grew upon the Muru's lips when she saw the flabbergasted look upon the elf's face, and a smug contentment welled up in her chest.

"Good morning, Lord Erestor." She shifted so that she was more comfortable, "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Uh…" Was all he could say. Espenshade's smile grew into a smirk.

"That's not a very polite way to greet old friends."

Attempting to regain his composed demeanor, Erestor straightened himself and cleared his throat softly, "I beg your pardon, my lady, but I don't believe we have met."

"Oh, but we have." She insisted as she slung an arm around his shoulders, "My name is Espenshade, a Muru of Banemera."

"The Espenshade I know is a falcon." He stated, then added bitterly, "And an aggravating one at that."

"You mean, this falcon?" The same golden light covered her form and when it disappeared, the bird had returned in his lap. Not a moment later, it had taken its previous form has a woman once again.

Judging by the look on his face, Erestor wasn't sure if he should be amused or terrified. Neither seemed to fit the situation, so he decided instead to look up from the lady spread across his lap and shout, "Legolas!"

There was a soft chuckling from around the corner and then the golden haired prince stuck his head out, a small smile teasing his lips, "Yes, my lord?"

"What exactly is wrong with your pet falcon?" He demanded sternly.

"What do you mean, wrong?"

Erestor indicated dramatically towards Espenshade, "She transformed into a woman!"

"Oh, yes. That is normal." Legolas answered casually, as if it were an everyday occurrence that animals changed shape into ladies, then perched themselves in the laps of unsuspecting advisors, "She is of the Muruien, a race of shape shifters."

"So you mean to say that it has been a _person_, not a bird, that has been wreaking havoc all these years?" One eyebrow shot up and the younger elf bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"Indeed."

"And you allowed her to continue?"

"No, my lord! I mean, I did not know of this either until recently." He amended quickly, then sent a glance towards the pleased Muru, "I admit, what she is doing now is quite… inappropriate, to put it frankly." He sent a disapproving look towards her but it went ignored.

The haughty expression remained on the advisor's face as he turned his attention back to the Muru, "My lady, I would appreciate it if you would remove yourself from me."

"So formal." Espenshade teased as she obeyed, hopping up from her 'seat' and bounding happily back to Legolas. She started towards the exit, then cast a smile towards the elf and said, "Farewell."

When she was out of sight, the Mirkwood prince shot an apologetic smile to the elder ellon, then bowed at the waist and followed after her, Jaimea in tow.

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"I wish that you did not have to leave so soon." Arwen said as she watched her companions prepare to leave on the large balcony. The Muru princes already waited in their dragon forms, eyeing the few elves that would be soon joining them. Norui smiled, humbled by her concern, and took her hands in his and placed a kiss to her knuckles.

"Farewell is not forever, my lady." He said, "Do not worry; I am sure we will see each other again soon."

"There is no use in delaying the inevitable." One of the dragons said with a snort. At the annoyed glances directed upon him, he puffed a ring of black smoke from his nostrils and continued, "I wish to stretch my wings, is all."

"He is right though." Iaurtondariel commented as she hopped upon the other dragon, who they all assumed was Ricamros. They found that in the dragon forms, there was nothing that signified which prince was which, "It would not surprise me if we stopped by for a brief visit after we leave Mirkwood. You would see us one last time, at least."

"I suppose." The dark haired elleth agreed with a small smile as her brothers gently wrapped their arms around her waist.

"Have a safe journey." Elladan said.

"I hope whatever awaits you in Mirkwood is pleasant." Elrohir added as they mounted and they smiled sadly, their thoughts instantly rushing back to their people in Mirkwood. But they did not dwell on it, only securing themselves on their mounts and saying their final farewells. The four Muruien then threw themselves into the air, their great wings spreading and carrying them quickly away from the valley of Rivendell.

Between Imladris and Mirkwood, there were very few events that are worth mentioning. They were able to reach the peak of the Misty Mountains that night, though it was late when they finally landed again, but no fire was built up. Two at a time stayed up to keep watch, for there were unfriendly creatures that roamed the peaks and no one wanted to be caught of guard. Especially so close to the end of their journey. Only one or two stray goblins wandered into their camp and, after being noticed by the watchers on duty, they did not wander out again.

The next morning brought a clear, blue sky and a bright sun. It was considerably warmer that day and it raised their spirits. They walked part of the way back down the mountain but as they drew nearer to the bottom, they took flight again. As they flew higher into the sky, the borders of the forest they called home loomed in the distance and their hearts leapt in their chest. What would they find there, they asked themselves over and over. Their senses told them that everything would be fine but their minds continued to conjure up absurd ideas that were very unlikely to happen. Idle talk was enough to chase away such notions.

By the time the sun had just begun to descend in the sky, the great palace of Mirkwood was within sight and it brought smiles upon the lips of the elves who resided there. Another hour passed and the Muruien touched down on the eastern border of the forest. From there, they hurried through the small expanse of forest that separated them from their home. The trees were not so thick on the eastern border, only a few miles wide, and so the Muruien took a new shape: horses to carry the elves the rest of their journey.

Half way through, they were stopped as two voices called down to them from the trees. The small group assumed they had not been recognized from under their hoods and so they cast them down, and cries of excitement and joy surrounded them. Immediately, the elven guards dropped from the trees and greeted their princes and princesses with warm welcome. They spoke for only a little while, talking mainly of the latest happenings in the realm. The tones of their voices gave away the sorrow that they felt, for they told them that many elves had been lost to the death-like sleep they had fallen under. Their spirits rose, though, when they learned that the cause of the problem had been taken care of.

They spent only half of an hour with them before continuing on with troubled hearts. The news they had received was not good, but they were pleased to hear no mention of their father being overtaken by the spell. And no mention of Glithiel, either, Norui commented to himself with relief. But before they had left, Legolas quietly asked the head guard if he recognized the elleth he had traveled with, Jaimea. Frowning slightly, the elf had studied her and then shook his head, saying, no.

Before long, the gates to the palace appeared and they halted before them, calling up to the guards on duty for entry. Only one elf greeted them, his raven colored hair dangling before his eyes, and he gave a surprised shout upon recognition. He immediately let them in and they dismounted, their gazes sweeping over their home. Elves rushed to them to take their mounts but they politely declined the offer, earning them a few odd looks. One of the white horses snorted in agitation.

The elves jumped back in shock when the horses suddenly illuminated with a gold light and were replaced with four beings that looked shockingly like them- excluding the odd colored hair. Muruien and Eldar watched and studied each other with curiosity and amusement.

Amidst all this, the Crown Prince smiled and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "At last, we are finally home." He said softly.

"Indeed, it is wonderful to be back again." Legolas agreed, gazing fondly at his people. He was vaguely aware of Jaimea approaching him from behind, the Komuned stuffed safely in her pack, and she linked her arm through his. The prince looked down at her and smiled warmly, "Welcome home, melleth-nín."

Norui glanced over to the two and smiled, then playfully ruffled the younger prince's hair and placed a kiss on Jaimea's forehead.

"I'm going to save them before someone attempts to kidnap them." He motioned towards the Muruien who had successfully stolen the attention of the elves. Casting the pair another smile, he mixed himself into the fray.

Glancing back at the gate, Legolas saw his two sisters already waiting for them with Iaurtondariel at their sides. The two joined them and a moment later, the Crown Prince appeared with the four Muruien in tow. With the chatter of their people still in their ears, they pushed through the doors and entered their home for the first time in what seemed like ages.

Nothing had changed about the long corridor that would eventually lead to the throne room, and then break off into separate chambers, but the feeling was different. The torches that illuminated the hall seemed to flicker against the walls hauntingly and sorrowfully, no longer the energetic and carefree flames that danced along the corridor, casting their shadows on those who passed by. The air felt colder than usual, despite the heat of the torches, and they wondered if this had to do with the mourning of the lost elves. Or perhaps that had grown unused to such conditions.

Word travels fast, they soon realized, for their people would suddenly appear out of nowhere and express how glad they were to see them again. When they came to the main hall, they found their old friends gathered there, waiting for them. As soon as they were noticed, they were bombarded with elated cries and warm embraces. A great feeling of pride welled up in their hearts at the feeling of being amongst their people.

As this progressed, Jaimea found herself watching from the side as the princes and princesses were welcomed back to the realm. She did not envy them, of course- she was perfectly happy to stay out of the way. After all, it was not her place.

But then she heard her name called over the din and she looked towards the noise, her eyes widening in shock as an elleth hurried over to her with a large grin.

"Wilyawing…?" She breathed as her own smile grew upon her lips.

"Jaimea!" The dark haired elf exclaimed as she bounded towards her, then wrapped her arms around her neck, "I've missed you so much!" The fair-haired elf said nothing, only holding onto her friend as if she would never be able to do so again.

When she finally pulled away, Wilyawing beamed and looked the elleth up and down, "You have changed, mellon-nín; you were never one to venture out like that. And you told us that you would be gone only for a little while." She teased and Jaimea laughed softly.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I honestly didn't have intentions of being away so long. I became… caught up in it all." Her eyes flickered momentarily towards the golden haired prince, and then returned to her friend. Wilyawing caught this and glanced back, then looked again at her with wide eyes.

"You mean the prince?" She whispered quickly, taking a step closer towards her. Smiling and blushing slightly, the fair haired elleth nodded, "Oh, I am so happy for you, Jaimea!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her again, "Does he plan to court you?"

"We've been courting for a month or two now. Not very long, but I d every moment of it." She answered.

The darker haired elleth could find nothing to say as she gazed fondly at the other elf before her, touching her cheek gently and brushing back a stray hair behind her pointed ear, "I am so happy for you. None of us ever imagined him and you together." She suddenly frowned worriedly, then asked, "Does he know that you…?"

Jaimea sighed heavily and averted her eyes, shaking her head, "I've tried to tell him so many times but there are always interruptions. Either that, or I wouldn't let myself tell him."

"You must eventually, you know. That will be important to him."

"It should not be though." The golden haired elleth retorted, "If his feelings for me are true, it won't change anything."

"I hope you are right, my friend."

Not liking this particular conversation, Jaimea quickly said, "Where are the others? All of our friends?" A dark look crossed over Wilyawing's face and she looked away, sighing sadly. The other elleth shut her eyes in pain and crossed her arms over her chest, "All of them?" She whispered breathily.

"Yes, I am the only one who did not become trapped in that beast's hold." She answered bitterly, "It is just you and I now."

There was a sudden loud shouting, heard even above the cheerful chattering of the elves, and there was silence immediately, "Where are they!" The voice yelled again and the people moved away from their princes and princesses to reveal them to the one who now stood in the largest doorway.

The four royals watched with wide eyes as their father gazed back at them, his fists clenched at his side and his face red with either joy or anger; which, they could not tell. It took them only a moment for them to notice the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes and after a long, tense moment, the king seemed to break down and he opened his arms to them, "Are you going to stand there or come greet me?"

All at once, the four cried out in excitement and hurried towards their father's outstretched arms, happy tears streaming down their cheeks. The Elvenking's strong arms wrapped around his children, holding them tight to himself and kissing each one repetitively on their cheeks and foreheads. As they clung to him, he whispered loving words in their ears.

"I am not sure if I should be happy or angry with you." He said mostly to himself, "I was going mad with worry."

"Forgive us for taking so long, for prolonging your suffering." Lothron apologized hurriedly and Thranduil hushed her, resting his chin on her head.

"Nonsense, my child," He replied, "I am proud of all of you." A familiar cackling then made its way towards them, and the elves glanced up to see the golden falcon soaring towards them and perching herself on the king's shoulder, then nibbling gently on the loose strands of his dark hair. Thranduil chuckled, saying, "And I see that blasted bird of yours survived."

Legolas smiled and nodded, "Indeed, she did."

The Elvenking gave his children one more kiss each, and then released them reluctantly. He looked over his people with a new warmth in his heart, and then stopped his gaze on the four newcomers standing a little ways away.

"Who are they, now?" He asked kindly, stepping away to study each one carefully.

"They are our companions who aided us on our journey." Norui answered, coming up beside his father and then motioned to each one as he named them, "That one there is Prince Tarmikos and his brother is Prince Ricamros. The one who stands beside Tarmikos is Lady Jocikah and the elleth is Iaurtondariel." He gave said elf a warm smile before looking back to gauge the older elf's reaction. He was pleased to see him bow his head slightly to each one.

"Thank you for guiding my children through their obstacles," He said, "You are welcome to stay in my halls as long as your hearts wish it." They said nothing; they smiled and bowed at their waists in respect.

Just as the groups were about to mingle again, the youngest prince stepped forward and said, "Ada, there is someone else that I would like you to meet as well."

Legolas did not bother to wait for the ellon to reply as he broke away from his siblings and towards the crowd of elves with a loving smile on his face. The elleth he sought looked away from him nervously as he approached and took her hand gently in his. He placed a kiss on her knuckles, and then pulled her forward gently.

"Come." He said warmly.

"Legolas…" She muttered hesitantly as she was being dragged towards the king. Not a one spoke as the prince led her towards the king, a proud smile on his face. He stopped before Thranduil and gently pushed her towards him.

"Adar, this is Jaimea." He said, "The elleth who has finally stolen my heart and swept the ground out from underneath my feet."

Fearing the king's judgment, Jaimea looked sheepishly down to the polished floor and waited for his words. She was surprised to feel him place his fingers under her chin and slowly raise her eyes to meet his gaze. He studied her for a long moment, smiling comfortingly at her, to reassure her that everything was all right.

"You have chosen a beautiful one." He said finally with a small laugh and the elleth felt a heat creep up her neck. Thranduil then said to her, "You have done the one thing that no one else has been able to do, my lady, and that is subduing my stubborn son and melting his frozen heart." He paused, chuckling, "All of Mirkwood can now live in peace."

There was a gentle laughter throughout the halls and Jaimea smiled faintly. Thranduil placed a kiss on her forehead, "Thank you very much, my lady Jaimea."

The people then came together again, chattering and laughing amongst each other as they continued to welcome their friends again. Greetings were exchanged between the Muruien and the king, and he was most surprised to find that they were of the same race that the one who held them under a spell was. They told him of all that had transpired and why it had happened in the first place. There was tension between them at first, but that would soon disappear and they would see each other as old friends would.

But throughout this whole event, the Crown Prince kept his eyes alert for the one whom he sought most, but found that she was no where to be found. A dark and foreboding emotion welled up in his heart and he feared the worst. He approached his father quickly, and then spoke in hushed tones:

"Why is Glithiel not here?" He asked, "Is she alright?"

Thranduil smiled gently and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "Yes, Norui, she fares well, though she could be better. She was one of the last to be free of the spell and so she is still weak. You are free to go to her whenever you wish." The young elf's first reaction was to storm from the room and find the one he loved, but his duty won the mental battle and he stayed where he was.

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The remainder of the day seemed to be a blur to them all. After everyone had cleared out, rooms had been arranged for the Muruien, as well as Iaurtondariel and Jaimea, and they had gone out to explore the palace with Espenshade as their guide. Thranduil and his children had then locked themselves in the king's private chamber and caught up on everything that they had missed. Countless tears, both happy and sorrowful, stained their faces and there seemed to be more hugging and kissing than anything. The four younger elves relayed everything that had happened in complete detail, leaving very little out.

The Elvenking was most shocked to hear that his son had lost his life along the way, but then was sent back. He looked upon Norui with frightened eyes and he held him close to his chest, unwilling to let go as if the young ellon would be taken away from him again. They did not say exactly how he had been brought back and Thranduil never asked.

Time passed quickly in the large room and their talk eventually turned to that of playful jesting. Their hearts finally at ease, the four siblings allowed their true nature to shine through, having had to keep it locked up for so long.

"So, Legolas," Thranduil started with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, "When did this lady catch your eye?"

"Ada," The golden haired prince muttered, rolling his eyes upwards, "Must we talk about that? Eru knows what will follow it."

"I am simply curious." The king retorted, "Am I not allowed to know what goes on in your love life?"

"No, you are not." Legolas answered smugly, looking away from his father.

"I knew it was bound to happen all along." Norui commented as he reclined back into a soft couch, "Especially after that certain night early on in our trip." He sent a mischievous smile towards his brother. The younger prince's eyes widened slightly and he glowed a bright red, reaching all the way up to the tips of his ears. Thranduil's brows shot up and the two princesses hid their grins behind their hands.

"What is this all about, hmm?" The king drawled out, "This has me interested."

"Indeed, Legolas. We never heard about this." Melyanna said.

"And you never will, for I have no intentions of explaining it." He replied crossly. Norui opened his mouth but quickly shut it at the warning glance his brother shot him.

"So, will I be able to call her 'daughter' any time soon?" Thranduil teased.

"Ada!" Legolas exclaimed in indignation, "I've known her for only a short while!"

"Merely asking, my son."

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The reunited family never left the room that night, for they had not the heart to do so. They slept together in the king's oversized bed, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. All had waited so long to finally be together again and it had come at last.

But no matter how hard he tried, the Crown Prince could not bring himself to sleep. His mind ran rampant with thoughts of his beloved, wondering if she was as well as his father had told him. He did not doubt the king's word, but he felt that he needed to see it for himself. So, slipping carefully out of his father's arms, he crept from the room and down the hall towards the Healing Wing.

As he walked, he found himself in a state of awe at his surroundings. In all of his long years, he had never really appreciated the paintings that decorated the walls, or the smooth texture of the floor. Now that he had spent a time away from his home and had missed it, he realized how much he loved the forest and the palace. He did not even realize the distance that he had covered and soon found himself standing outside the doors to the healing chambers.

The same sort of apprehension he experienced before meeting his siblings again returned and he mentally berated himself. Was he really this weak, that he could not even bring himself to see the one whom he had thought about every waking moment of his life for the past few months? Why was it this difficult for him? He would not let his cowardice get in the way, and so he steeled his resolve and pushed into the room.

Most of the beds that were normally empty were now almost filled completely. Elves that had still not recovered from their sleep lay there, their eyes shut and their bodies completely still except for the slight rising of their chests as they breathed. One may think they were only sleeping, if they did not know any better.

Sparing these people only a passing glance, Norui hurried to where he knew she would be kept. Because of her relationship with the Crown Prince, she was allowed the privacy of the royal family's healing chamber. The ellon took no time in getting there, his mind on one thing only. He did not even hesitate to open the door.

When he peered into the room, it felt as if his breath had been stolen away from him. The lady was sitting up in the bed with a mountain of pillows supporting her and her eyes were fixed on the window. The moonlight cast shadows on her face and illuminated the strands of her dark hair, and she appeared a goddess to the elf. Her eyes shimmered and her skin was pale, but not unhealthily so. Had he not been so eager to see her and love her, he would have been content to just watch her the rest of the night.

He swallowed hard through his dry throat and then whispered ever so softly, "Glithiel?" The elleth looked towards the sound of the voice and her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened.

Norui smiled when her lips parted slightly as if to speak, but no words came out. He stepped quietly into the room and shut the door behind him. The lady's grey eyes never left his emerald ones as he approached and sat down at the edge of the bed. Neither spoke a word, for they were both transfixed on each other's eyes.

After a long moment, the Crown Prince broke the silence, saying, "Are you alright?"

She jumped slightly at his voice, and then nodded and answered, "Yes, I am fine. Still recovering though."

"Oh." He said dumbly and looked down at his trembling hands. He stilled them quickly, and then let silence take over again. At least she didn't reject him, he told himself, though there was almost no chance of that happening, "I've missed you." He said finally.

"Norui," She whispered, reaching out slowly to him and he took her hand in his, kissing each fingertip gently.

"I am here, my love." He placed a tender kiss in the center of her palm.

"How, Norui? How are you here?" She did not react to the confusion that spread across his features, and she continued, "I felt you die inside of me, even when I was in the unconscious state. What happened?"

The young ellon frowned and looked down to the white sheets of the bed, biting his bottom lip tentatively. Should he tell her what had happened, or would it better to wait until later? Either way, he knew that he would not be able to escape the discussion. He took both of her hands this time and drew himself closer to her.

"Glithiel," He started, "At one point, what you felt had been true- I had passed from the world of the living. Even now, I cannot explain exactly what happened, but know this: it is in the past and I will always be here for you. Nothing can sever the love that we share, not even death itself."

"I felt so cold, so lifeless. I thought that I, myself, would perish." Tears welled up in her eyes as she said this, so the prince reached up to delicately brush them away, and then he pulled her so that their chests nearly touched. His finger trailed absently down her cheek and underneath her chin, and he tilted her head upwards.

"It matters not now, Glithiel. I am here with you, you are here with me, and nothing can ever change that." He felt her bare skin prickle at the closeness of him and she trembled underneath his touch. Sighing softly, he rested his head on her shoulder and inhaled her scent, allowing himself to become completely engulfed in her presence. She still smelled the same, the familiar aroma of lavender and mint, and her dark tresses felt like silk under his fingers. She was intoxicating to him and he found himself whispering over and over again, "I love you, Glithiel, I love you so much…" and she would repeat these words back to him. Her breath hitched in her throat when his lips touched the side of her neck, then trailed up to finally claim her lips.

A fire seemed to rekindle itself at the contact that both had so craved, and yet the kiss was gentler than what they usually shared. But they both felt the same passion and longing that they had for each other, and it was stronger than any that had felt before. They never wanted to part from one another again, to end this contact, but they soon needed to pull away and when they did, Norui rested his forehead against hers and kissed the tip of her nose, his chest heaving.

The Crown Prince whispered her name over and over, his hands trailing up and down her arms and through her hair. She clung to him, her fingers gripping onto the soft fabric of his tunic. Her tears wetted his shoulder, but he paid no attention to it. Placing both hands on each of her cheeks, he looked into her hazy, grey eyes.

"Glithiel, my love," He started slowly, carefully, and he placed another kiss on her lips, "I wish to ask you a question, one that I have been meaning to ask you ever since the day I laid eyes upon you." She did not respond to him, though he knew that she was listening intently. He swallowed hard, then continued, "Glithiel, I… I want you to be my wife, and my queen if it ever comes to that. I want you to be the one that sleeps by my side at night, the one who will always be there for me. And I want you to be the mother of my children, so that they may inherit the beauty that you, yourself, possess. Marry me, Glithiel, and love me unto the ending of the World."

The elleth gazed into his eyes for the longest time, searching for any sort of deception or falseness, but she found none. His emerald orbs held uncertainty and hopefulness within them.

"I understand if it is too soon to be asking this of you." He stuttered nervously, unsure of how to decipher her silence. But then she smiled and, placing her fingers upon his lips, she said:

"You need not ask, my prince, for you already know my answer." She chuckled softly when his breathing quickened and he kissed her fingers again.

"Thank you so much, Glithiel." He breathed, moving closer to her. She moved her hand away and looked up at him with mischief in her eyes.

"Now, be quiet and kiss me."

And so he did.

FIN.

**XX**

**Well, I never thought I'd be writing 'FIN' for this story. It's been a long, two year ride and I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did. But we still have the epilogue, so don't leave just yet. And to Pvyrebaal, I left something in there for you especially. Let me know if you guess what it was. **

**As you may have noticed, I dedicated this chapter to Steve Irwin who, as I'm sure everyone knows, was killed last week on Monday. I felt that this chapter is worthy of dedication to him because, just as he put everything he had into his own work, I put my heart, soul, and love into my writing. I drew connections in this sense, and so thought it would be a good idea.**

**I don't want to go on about this too much, as I'm sure everyone has heard their share, but I'd just like to say a few things about the issue. His death was a hard blow to me because, you must understand, I have never experienced death in my life, excluding my pets. Even if I did not know him personally, he had a huge impact on my life and to know that the man who had developed a sense of immortality is gone, it is hard for me to accept. Steve Irwin was the one who brought my family together, for we would always come together to watch his shows. Even when I was only five years old, I watched him wrestle crocodiles and make it look easy. I remember when Bindi was born and then Bob, and I remember when Sui died. He sparked my love for all animals and for that, he will always remain in my heart.**

**He was a humanitarian, and the last time I saw him, he was crying over the death of one of his crocodiles. I hate hearing the people in school saying that he 'deserved what he got' and that he 'had it coming to him'. These people obviously do not understand what he did for the animals and for people. His life should be honored and celebrated, not be laughed at. I cried for him, and I hope that his family and friends will recover soon from their loss. Just as our Peter Jackson is the spirit of New Zealand, Steve Irwin is the spirit of Australia. He should be remembered as such. **

**Until Next Time,**

**Manwathiel **


	49. Wedge Between the Heart

**Ah, here we are, the epilogue of story I thought would never come to an end. But now it has. THANK THE VALAR! Anywho, hope you enjoy it. Doesn't the title sound promising:D **

**And by the way, I hope you all followed my advice and took the time to read Call of the Red Bird…**

**XXXXX**

Epilogue- Wedge Between the Heart

"I wish that you did not have to leave so soon." Norui said to the small group of Muruien, gathered in the main hall of the Mirkwood palace, "You know that you are more than welcome to stay as long as you wish."

"And we have, my friend." Ricamros said with a small smile, "We are thankful for your hospitality, but now we must depart for our own home."

In reality, the Muruien had stayed longer than they had first anticipated. Almost a month had passed since they arrived and it had flown by faster than they would have liked. Though the whole group had become close friends throughout the journey, a bond seemed to have formed tighter between the Mirkwood children and the Muruien, and they were reluctant to leave each other. Inside, they all knew that they would see each other again in the future, but the idea of parting was painful for them to think of.

"Know that you may come here when ever you so desire." The Crown Prince continued as if trying to stall the inevitable, "Our doors are always open."

"Norui," Tarmikos laughed softly, "We've been coming here for years now. I do not think that we will just suddenly stop. Our sister is still here, you know."

This statement seemed to catch the attention of the mentioned Muru, who then looked up to her brothers with sorrowful eyes. Seeing this, they both smiled in reassurance at her, though they, too, were saddened that she would not return with them. Just to see her standing with the elves and not them made their hearts break. But they knew the reasoning behind her decision and would not go against them.

Then, Iaurtondariel stepped towards the elves and this seemed to somehow break any formality in the air, and so the others did the same. For the last time in many years, the two groups of friends mingled together and gave their final farewells.

The Crown Prince smiled when he saw the elleth come towards him, her fingers twitching anxiously on the hems of her traveling tunic. He stopped this by taking her hands in his own, then placing them gently to his lips. He glanced up to see her smirking playfully.

"Even after all of this, you still are hesitant to approach me." He commented teasingly and she chuckled, replacing her hands by her side.

"Not hesitant, simply… intimidated." She answered, and he raised a brow.

"Intimidated, hmm? Well, I suppose I can be quite intimidating if I choose to be." He accentuated this by crossing his arms haughtily over his chest and looking down at her arrogantly. Iaurtondariel then jabbed him gently in the side with a finger.

"Not that sort of intimidating, you dolt." She laughed, and then threw her arms around his neck when he grinned cheerfully. This seemed to sober the moment as he wrapped his own arms around her waist. She sighed heavily before saying into his neck, "I am going to miss everyone, Norui. But you most of all."

"I will miss you, too, Iaurtondariel, and I'll never forget all the times that we have shared together." He smirked, "Even some of the less pleasant times." He laughed softly when she groaned into his neck.

"Don't remind me."

"What, you regret that now? I thought you liked me."

"I used to, but now you are just teasing me."

"That's not a very good reason to dislike someone, my lady. I hereby banish you from the kingdom of Mirkwood!"

Laughing, the two elves pulled away from each other and gazed warmly into one another's eyes, relishing their last few moments together. They heard the others call for them to leave and so, placing a kiss on her forehead, Norui stepped away from her and motioned her to go. Giving him a small bow at the waist, Iaurtondariel turned and started towards the others, but stopped when he called out to her, "Farewell, my lady Rusc."

The elf paused in her steps, gazing over her shoulder thoughtfully at the ellon. He simply smiled back, and then turned to rejoin his siblings.

The companions then left the hall and came to the courtyard of the great palace. The Muruien took up their true forms, but only Jocikah took flight, her large wings pumping quickly against the ground until she was out of sight. But the two princes remained behind, Iaurtondariel perched upon one of their backs, and they gazed back at the sister they would leave behind. Espenshade acknowledged them with small, sad smiles. Snorting in response, one silver dragon leapt into the air, followed by the other, and they were gone.

The elves stood there until they were all out of sight, then began moving slowly back into the palace. Only the Muru left behind still stood there, gazing high up into the darkening sky. The golden haired prince looked over his shoulder at her, halting in his steps. The elleth on his arm looked up to him questioningly, and then glanced back to the Muru.

"Espenshade," Legolas called to her softly. She did not respond, but he knew she was listening, "You know, there is nothing that is keeping you here. If you wish, you may leave with them."

There was then a long, tense moment where the prince thought that she truly would decide to leave him. The possessive side of him hoped that she wouldn't take advantage of his offer, but he knew that it was ultimately her decision. He would rather her be happy.

Then, turning back to him, the Muru said, "You know the answer to that already, Legolas. I made a promise to your mother that I would look out for you, and I will follow through with that in honor of her memory." She paused for a moment, "Please, I would like to be alone for a little while." The ellon simply nodded, offered her a comforting smile, and then followed his siblings into the palace.

Sighing shakily, Espenshade turned her bright eyes back up to the heavens. Her brothers were long gone, she knew, but she still hoped that they may suddenly change their minds and return. They couldn't stay forever, but even one more moment with them would suffice, even if it would make it all the harder to let them go.

A gust of cool air whipped through her golden hair as she turned and reentered the palace not long after the others had. The Muru wandered the halls alone the rest of the day until night came. As she slept, her mind and heart flew in the skies of her dreams with all of those she loved beside her; Ricamros, Tarmikos, and the one who always made her feel loved.

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI

"Jaimea, you don't have to be nervous." Legolas said to the elleth sitting on the bed as he paced back and forth in the room, rummaging through his wardrobes.

"Legolas-" She started, but she was cut off for what must have been the hundredth time that day.

"I realize that this will be the first time you will be presented formally at a feast, but-"

"Please, Legolas, I-"

"There isn't any reason to fret. It's a simple procedure, really. All you have to do is-"

"Legolas!" The elleth shouted, stopping the ellon in his tracks with a questioning look on his face. Jaimea sighed heavily in frustration, then swung her feet up onto the bed and tucked them underneath of her, "I'm not nervous."

"Then what's wrong?" He asked, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed, "You've been acting very odd lately."

Frowning slightly, the elleth scooted towards the head of the bed and patted the space in front of her, asking the prince to sit before her. He did as she asked, then took her hands in his.

"Please, tell me what is wrong. I don't want to see you unhappy like this."

Again, she hesitated in her words, looking down at their clasped hands. Sensing her uncertainty, her drew closer to her and placed a lingering kiss on her lips, "You can tell me anything, melleth-nín."

"I know."

For a long while, they sat there in silence as Jaimea gathered her thoughts. She had to tell him now, she thought over and over, she had put it off far too long. But what if he would not love her anymore? Was their relationship strong enough to withstand what she was about to tell him? She only hoped that it was.

"Legolas," She started, "There is something that you must know about me."

"I'm listening." He said encouragingly. For some reason, it did not give her the feeling that it was intended to. The elleth swallowed hard as her hands began to sweat from her nervousness. How should she begin? Start from the beginning or just come out and say it? No, that would be brash. What to do…

"You know the story behind my parents, yes?" He nodded, and she took a deep breath, "After they had died, my brother left me alone and ran away into places that I do not know of. I lived with my other family until I was old enough to leave, then I came back to my old home. That was an expanse of many years, and yet I had never heard from my brother. And it would still be many years still before anyone would know of him again.

"Then one night, he came to me, but he was not the same elf that I had grown up with. He recounted his adventures to me and I was terrified of them; he had been places that I do not want to imagine, told me things that I do not dare utter. I told him to leave me and never come back, and it angered him. But he did as he was told, though with evil intent now in his mind."

Tears began to well up in her eyes and the ellon brushed them away with a finger, "You do not have to tell me this if it pains you to do so."

"No, no, I have to." She insisted, shaking her head, "When his name had come up again, I knew that he had done something horrible. I tried to stop him but he ignored me, and that night, he performed his most horrible deed: he attacked the royal family."

As she watched him, the elleth could see the sudden realization flash in his eyes, yet they were filled with disbelief. She only wished that it was all a joke, that nothing she said was true. Legolas opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, and then whispered dangerously, "You mean that your brother was that wretch that destroyed our lives so many years ago?"

Jaimea's tears now flowed freely down her cheek as she realized that this conversation was not heading in the direction that she had hoped. Yet she knew that she had to finish what she had started. Nodding, she continued, "Yes, Legolas, he was. My brother was the one that crippled the kingdom, the one that drove a permanent wedge between your family, and the one that stole the life of the queen. I watched him burn on that pyre, watched his body go up in flames, and his ashes carried away into the air." Her voice hitched in her throat, "My brother was Elinyro."

It felt as if a cold barrier had been shoved between the two as they gazed at each other, one staring in shock and anger, the other hoping her fears would not come true. But as she looked at him, she knew that it was not so. A fire ignited in those cerulean eyes, flashing and crackling with fury. Her heart nearly leapt in her chest and she had to hold back the bile rising in her throat when the prince dropped her hands, leaving her reaching out for him desperately. Swinging his legs off the bed, Legolas stood and strode out of the room without a word, slamming the door behind him.

When that door closed, it felt as if her life had fallen down around her. Everything that had happened between them the past few months had all gone to waste; it didn't matter anymore. How could she have been so foolish to believe that he would understand?

The elleth was barely aware of the Komuned hopping up onto the bed and purring softly into ear as she threw herself down onto the thick blankets, her shoulders racking with sobs.

**XXXXX**

**Well, so much for a happy ending. But, as I'm sure most of you know, there is going to be a sequel to follow up on this. Work on that will begin soon, though I plan to do it a little differently. To save the lives of both me and my beta, the chapters will be considerably shorter (compared to twenty pages each) and I'd like to make a few buffer pages before I start posting. I estimate about a month before anything comes up, but knowing me, I'll probably start posting later this week. :P **

**Anywho! Thank you for everyone who stuck with me through this! Incentives not quite done, but getting there, and I'll keep posting redone chapters randomly, so keep checking back for those. Other than that, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR KEEPING ME GOING ON THIS! I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU ALL! **

**Now, I'm going to go start plotting for my next story while my very large cast goes on their much deserved break to Mt. Kilimanjaro! Won't they have a surprise in store for them when they return…bwahaha. **

**Signing Out,**

**Manwathiel **


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